Sanguine
by spoonman09
Summary: Edan Mathis leads a boring life, so it doesn't take much to put it on the line for those he loves...but how does one protect someone who can't die? Edan will have to find a way with Kaily Paris, a not so delicate flower.
1. Prologue Edan

_Hey, welcome to my first fanfic. Please help me to become a better writer and write a review. I want to know if you see a part in my story that could be improved. Doesn't flow too well? Pacing too slow? I also want to know if you like it. I love to read your reviews. Please tell me. I write this for you guys._

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Sanguine 

**Prologue**

Tolouse, France 1557

The cold, piercing moon sifted through the canopy amongst the stars faintly shining in the sky, uninterrupted by the presence of passing clouds. Leaves rustled in the canopy of the dark forest as a breeze slipped through, shaking some from the heavy branches of looming beeches and distorting the light cast down from above. The shadows danced across her golden hair as she lay sprawled across the forest floor, her breaths stretching out longer and longer as time progressed. Her steadily blurring vision noticed the dull, slowly dying embers from the oil lamp shattered further down the dirt path. Woodchips and small pebbles dug into her arm like she was lying on a bed of needles, but it was almost drowned out by the sharp, throbbing pain at the back of her head that flooded her entire body. All her joints ached and her arms felt lifeless, relieved only slightly by the numbingly cold chill that ran through her, sucking the warmth out of the very marrow of her bones. She could feel something wet against her cheek, soaking her nightgown, and could taste the bitter metallic flavor of blood. Sweat beaded across her forehead as whispering voices began to echo from every direction, and she offered little resistance as darkness enveloped her like a blanket. Within a fleeting moment, her whole world ceased to exist.

Chapter 1

Edan

Edan Mathis had not had a good day. He had just come back from a 10 hour shift at the office, rotting in front of a computer screen . On the way home, he bagged himself a front row seat to a four car pile up involving two semis and a public transit bus. Needless to say, all four lanes were closed…right in front of his exit . He could have saved time and just walked home, he was so close. _Well, at least it's a Friday_, he told himself. As soon as Edan entered his studio apartment, he slumped into his office chair and rolled over to his desktop. What a great way to spend a weekend, escaping the drudgeries of an office job in front of a computer screen only to continue the trend on his own personal computer. Eh, there's wasn't much else to do.

Edan propped his chin up with his hand and skimmed through his RSS feeds. World's first cloned capuchin. Cloning's no biggie, but if you clone a monkey you've got yourself an article in a nationally recognized syndicated feed. Must have been a slow day. Edan pulled up a live feed from the local news, dragging the tickmark across the progress bar to pick up tidbits of the day's going-ons.

"—first cloned capuchi—"  
"—part of a series of gruesome murders, a lady was found with two puncture wou—"  
"—primary school burned down. Police point to arson.—"

Edan shrugged and looked past his monitor through the studio windows. The skyscrapers in the distance were silhouetted against the burning, orange sky. The light filled his living room with its vintage retro furnishings, hardwood floor, and post-modern paintings. It was a nice place, but people didn't usually visit him so it was all pretty much a waste. The sun disappeared over the cityscape. Pretty soon it would be dark and he'd have one more day he could look back on and contemplate on how much of a waste it was.

Edan sighed and leaned back on his chair, kicking off his shoes and resting his feet on the edge of his desk. He wondered what it would be like if he fell asleep right then and there. If he shifted his bodyweight just right, he could find a center of balance and remain that way throughout his nap.

Nope. Fell right on his ass. Pretty hard to balance on two wheels. Then, Edan wondered what it would be like if he fell asleep right then and there….his cell phone rang. "Ah shit…." Edan just let it vibrate until it inched its way off the desk into his hands.

"Yes?"  
"What's up, lazyass"  
"Hi, Geoff"

Geoff was Edan's best friend since middle school. He was a pain in the ass, but he had his redeeming moments.

"So what you up to, Edan?"  
"Ah, nothing much."  
"Having fun?"  
"Time of my life," Edan said with a straight face.  
"Bullshit. Knowing you, you're watching the Game Show Network. How 'bout you and I hit up that new nightclub tonight? "

Edan shifted a little on the floor. His ass was going numb.

"I'll see if I can fit it in my schedule."  
"See you at seven." _Beep._

Edan sighed again. He was just getting comfortable. The arm of the chair had just finished digging into his right kidney. He let out a grunt as he pulled himself back off the floor. He shuffled over to the bathroom and looked in the mirror examining his stubble. He pulled out a razor and got to work. Shower, shuffling through clothes, brushing teeth, all that shit that he thought would help him be more presentable in a public area.

Edan didn't really stick out that much. Not too tall, not too short. Dark auburn, scruffy hair and thin rim glasses, dark brown eyes. During the slow times at work, he daydreamed about being a killer martial artist… kinda like Bruce Lee. In reality, he was a nerdy programmer. Not a programmer for video games or a major software company. No, that would be interesting. He debugged spam pop-ups, just enough to make them adhere to the law. He may look lazy or depressed, but he really wasn't. He did his work, and he did it well. Shit just didn't pan out too well for him and it left him cynical towards everything. Why can't good things happen to good people? He always thought about just saying "To hell with it all" and doing whatever the fuck he wanted regardless of the consequences, but that just wasn't his style. Too much of a softie. Eh, what really mattered now was that he was going out tonight.

He took one more look at himself in the mirror before he walked back out into the living room and put the computer on standby. He made his way to the door, grabbing his keys and reaching for his coat. As he closed the door, he flipped off the light switch leaving only the blue blinking of the computer's status button.


	2. The Scarlet and Black

Chapter 2

The Scarlet and Black

Typical. Geoff made the plans, so it was only natural that he would be more than a half hour late. The venue was pretty nice, though. The Scarlet and Black was not your average night club. Techno trance wasn't booming through the walls, strobe lights didn't flash through its tinted windows, and the line wasn't long. Despite its debut only a few weeks ago, it had already grown a reputation as one of the most exclusive sites downtown so most people quit trying their luck at it. Edan didn't even know why Geoff bothered suggesting it.

Edan just let it go and slumped back on a wall. He watched as taxi cabs inched their way through traffic and club hoppers weaved to and fro amongst them. The neon lights from nearby clubs and bars buzzed, reflecting off of the streets and passing cars while the streetlamps lit up the buildings giving them a dull orange glow.

He looked back at the mob crowding around the front door, wondering why he ever thought he stood a chance getting in. And then he caught sight of her. He had never seen her before, but he would never forget again. Their eyes locked. A car turned the corner flashing its headlights on her face. When the light hit her, her eyes flashed a brilliant azure heating up to a million degrees. Her eyes focused to a point and pierced right through him. For the first time in his life, he was captivated by a girl so much that time froze in place. It was just him and her, two perfect strangers connected by invisible ties, a fine thread that wrapped itself around both of their hearts and pulled so taut that if either of them were to take one step back the thread would slice right into them.

A hand grabbed Edan by the shoulder.

"Jeezus, Geoff! You scared the shit out of me!"  
"Nice to see you, too."

Edan looked back but she was gone. Must have already made it inside. He turned back to Geoff.

"Where were you? You're almost an hour late."  
"I kinda lost track of time and dozed off."  
Edan smirked. "Figures. So how do you expect us to get inside?"  
"I know some people."  
"Sure. Like who?"  
Geoff pointed towards the door. "Look at the bouncer. Does he look familiar?"  
"Jared Merkel? You mean that geek from high school? How the hell did he become a bouncer?"  
"No idea, but for the next five minutes, he's not 'that geek from high school'. He's our best friend."

Geoff cleared his throat and put on the most serious face he could muster.

"J-Crew!" Geoff said, looking ridiculous in the process,"Whutup, homie!?"  
"Sup, G. Who's the cracker?"  
"His name's Edan. He's with me. Gonna show him some good times, so I was hopin' you'd help a brotha' out."  
"Doo', shut yo mouth! You ain't black."  
Geoff quit with the ridiculous slang. "You aren't either. You're whiter than I am."  
Jared quit, too, and started to look a little unsure. "Fine. Get in."

He unhitched the rope cutting off the entrance and Geoff and Edan walked in, each going their own way once inside. They were greeted with slow, deep, pulsating music and somber crimson light cast upon the center of the club. The Scarlet and Black was two stories. The first floor was an open dance floor with a raised platform in the center. Five girls were dancing atop the platform, obviously under the influence of some drug and they were surrounded by a myriad of people who weren't so much dancing as taking in each other, trying to merge as one being. Each couple was lost in their own world, swallowed whole by a sea of sensual ecstasy. On the outskirts hidden behind shadows were silhouettes of people sitting at their tables, their invisible eyes focused on the dance floor or scanning the room for a partner. Whatever was upstairs, Edan would probably never know. The stairs were closed off and guarded by two massive bouncers, but that didn't bother him too much. The first thing Edan had on his mind as he entered was that girl. He had to search her out and talk to her.

He walked the perimeter, scanning the edges of the club looking for the mystery girl. At the far corner sitting at the bar, he found her by herself ringing up another order. He grabbed a barstool next to her and she shifted a little, watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"Uh, hi."

She shied away a little more, but other than that, no response.

_"Okayyy…._" he whispered silently to himself.

He took a long deep breath and called for a Captain's Blood

_2 dashes Angostura Bitters  
1½ oz Dark Rum  
1 oz Lime Juice  
1 oz Superfine Sugar (or Simple Syrup)  
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist._

He downed the shot and his eyes watered a little from taking it so fast. He cleared his throat and tried one more time.  
"Hi, my name is Edan. I'm funny, financially stable, and have a very interesting DNA structure."  
Still no response. Damn, this girl is impenetrable! But then she smirked a little.

"Did you really expect that to work for you?"  
Edan ringed up another. "Nope. That's what the shots are for."  
She let out a little bit of a laugh.  
He held out a hand."Edan."  
She shook it. "Kaily."

As he shook her hand, he looked into her eyes. Green.  
"Huh. That's funny."  
"What?"  
"That was YOU I saw outside, right?"  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."  
"I could have sworn you had blue eyes."  
"Your eyes must be playing tricks on you."  
"Must be… So. What brings you to the Scarlet and Black, Kaily? You don't look like you're having too much of a good time."  
"I'm here with a friend. He went upstairs for a few minutes, so I'm just hanging out here at the bar."

Edan noticed that Kaily's accent wasn't quite right.

"I don't recognize your accent. Where are you from?"  
"Hmm? Oh, I've lived all over the place. Spent my early years in Europe."  
"Ah. When's the last time you went back to visit?"  
"I haven't."  
"Oh. Well, you have any family back in Europe?"

Before she could answer, a man with a Mediterranean tan and dark hair interrupted.

"He giving you any trouble, Kaily?"  
"No. He's fine. Edan, this is Dominic."  
"Pleasure." Edan extended his hand again, but Dominic did not shake it.  
Dominic turned to Kaily, "If he gives you any shit, come and get me, alright?"  
"I don't think that will be necessary, but I will if I have to."

Dominic turned and disappeared into the mob of people standing just off of the dance floor. Edan knew he was going to be watched for the rest of the night.

Kaily apologized, "I'm sorry about Dominic. He's very protective of me."  
"That's fine. I've met worse. Is he your boyfriend?"  
"No, he's more like my brother. We grew up together in Europe."  
"Ah. Well it's easy to tell how much he cares for you."

Edan's phone rang. The LCD read _Geoff_.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath.  
"Go for it. I don't mind."  
"Alright. Thanks." Edan flipped the phone open. "What?"  
"Edan! Dude, I need a huge favor. I've been hitting it off pretty well with this one chick, but she's brought her cousin so I was wondering if you could—"  
"Geoff, I'm not gonna play wingman. I'm busy."  
"Would you be busy if I hadn't gotten us in here in the first place? C'mon, just this once and we'll be even. She's not that bad looking anyway, but don't make her laugh. She might show some teeth."  
"You're an ass."  
"Damn straight. I'll meet you up front." _Beep_

What the hell was Edan going to do with him? Always thinking with the wrong head.

"Was that your friend?"  
"Yeah, he wants me to go—"  
"That's fine. You should help him out. I don't think Dom would mind."  
"Alright. Thanks for understanding."  
"Wait a second," she called back at him," Let me see your phone."

Edan handed her his phone. She bit her lip playfully as she punched in some digits and pressed _call_. A second ringtone sounded and she pulled out her own phone, the source of the music. She opened it up, saved the number, then closed it.

"There, we're set. I've got your number and you've got mine."  
"You don't think Dominic will mind?"  
"He's not my mom. He can get over it."

Edan looked over at Dominic. The man was tearing him apart with his eyes.

"Alright. I've had a great time talking with you, Kaily."  
"You ,too, Edan."  
"I'll talk to you later."  
"Seeya."

Edan walked off with just a hint of a swagger. That didn't last long, though, as soon as he remembered why he was walking off in the first place. Maybe he should have ordered one more shot before he got up.


	3. Dinner

Chapter 3

Dinner

Edan's head was throbbing. He was feeling sick to his stomach and it felt like somebody took an aluminum bat to his kidneys. All the joints in his fingers ached as he typed and his bloodshot eyes were burning making it hard to focus on the computer screen. One too many visits with Captain Morgan. Ever since three nights ago at the Scarlet and Black it was nonstop drinking with his buddy Geoff, seeing who could hold his alcohol better. Geoff had the stomach for such heavy drinking, something that Edan sorely envied at that very moment.

Lots and lots of coffee. That's what he needed. However, the coffee on the burner in the break room left a lot to be desired. He chose the lesser of the two evils and walked into the break room. As he poured out some coffee and let it cool, he pulled out his phone.

1 unread message

He opened it up:

Boo!  
Sender: Kaily  
Sent: 2:21:06 PM

He hit reply.

Hey, what's up?

A few moments later, his phone rang. Naturally, it was Kaily.

"Not much. I'm bored."  
"Me too, but I'm at work."  
"Aww, boo..." Kaily pouted.  
"Hey, how about we go out for some dinner after I get off?"  
"Sure. Where at?"  
"There's a good Italian restaurant on 7th and Broad."  
"Sounds great. I live right by there."  
"Alright. It's a date."  
"Don't push it."  
"Haha, alright. Call you when I get out."  
"Bye_." beep_

Edan got back to work. Took some aspirin to take care of his head and joints and rode out the rest of the day. As soon as he got off, he phoned in Kaily's number.

"Hello?" she answered.  
"Hey, this is Edan. I'm on my way home to get ready. About how much time will you need?"  
"Eh, not that much."  
"7:30 sound good?"  
"Yeah."  
"Alright. I'll see you then."  
"Bye" _beep_

When Edan got home, he showered, shaved, and got dressed. He pulled out a dark maroon button up shirt and rolled up the sleeves to just below his elbows, then found some khaki slacks and a nice pair of black leather shoes to go with it. He sprayed some cologne on his wrists and the nape of his neck, making sure not to put on too much. When everything was ready, he checked really quick if he had any new emails and scanned the headlines on his RSS feeds. Nothing new. He ran out the door and locked it.

Edan got arrived at the restaurants a few minutes early so he went in to reserve a table then sat back outside. A few minutes later Kaily walked around the corner. She was wearing a dark blue halter and a black skirt that ran from the bottom of one knee to midway down her other leg. She had put some eyeliner on, which accentuated her already beautiful face and brought out her eyes even more, as if they didn't stand out enough. Her short, silken hair ran down to just about four inches above her shoulders, and the lights from the restaurant shined onto it, giving it a brownish red highlight. A strand of hair fell across her face and she pushed it back with her delicate fingers. Edan was frozen in place again. She walked over to where he was standing and smiled.

"Hi!"  
Edan pushed out a response. "Hey. You look nice."  
"Thanks! Wish I could say the same…"  
"Funny."

A host popped his head out the door and ushered them to their table. The waiter introduced himself, took their drink orders and gave them a few minutes to look over the menu.

"Man, I'm starving!" Kaily said.  
"Well, feel free to order whatever you want. It's on me."  
"Why thank you. You're such a gentleman."

The waiter came back.

"Are we ready to order?" he asked, with pad in hand.  
"Yep. Kaily, go ahead."  
"Okay. I'll have a sirloin steak and whatever sides you recommend."  
"How would you like your sirloin, ma'am?"  
"Very rare."  
Edan let out a whistle. "She knows what she wants."  
"And you, sir?"  
"Chicken parmesan and a house salad."  
"Wussie…" Kaily taunted.  
"Shut up or you pay for your own," he teased.  
Kaily pouted.  
"Hey. None of that, either."  
"Will that be all, sir?" the waiter asked.  
"You good Kaily?"  
"Yep."  
Edan turned back to the waiter, "Yeah, that'll be it."  
"Alright. Your dinner will be out shortly."  
"Thank you," Edan said.  
The waiter left.

Edan and Kaily shared their day with each other. Edan talked about his unfortunate occupation. He learned that Kaily worked at a small coffee shop in a bookstore. They talked about their favorite books and that led to movies and music. They held on a good conversation and almost didn't notice that their waiter had returned. As they ate their dinner, Edan noticed that Kaily was sorting out her peas with her fork.

"Is your dinner okay?" he asked.  
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's great. Just counting the peas. I had a mild OCD moment."  
"How's the steak?"  
Kaily let out a devilish grin. "Delicious."  
"Good."  
"How's your chicken?" she asked in return.  
"Great. Want a bite?"  
"Sure."  
He cut off a piece and fed it to her.  
"So?"  
"I might get that next time I'm here."  
"Wussie," Edan teased.  
"Haha."

They carried on their conversation, then Edan called for his bill. As they walked towards the door, Kaily thanked him.

"I had a great night. Thank you for the dinner."  
"Oh, no problem. It was my pleasure."  
On the way out, he bumped into a man making his way in.  
"Sorry about that," Edan apologized.  
"Don't worry about it."

As he held the door open for Kaily, he noticed that her smile had disappeared. "What's wrong?"  
"Oh, nothing…. He just… bothered me a little."  
"Ah, okay."  
"Hey, Edan?"  
"Yes?"  
"Walk me home."  
"Alright."  
He walked her around the corner. "Hey, if there's something wrong, just tell me, okay?"  
"I will."

Kaily was quiet the whole way home. She looked disturbed and Edan came to the conclusion that whoever that man was, he didn't like him. He walked her up to her apartment door and before she got the key in, Dominic came out of the room across the hall. He had a cake in his hands, an apron around his waist, and a smile on his face…until he saw Edan.

Kaily broke her silence. "Hi, Dom!"  
"Hi. What's he doing here?" he replied, looking at Edan.  
"He took me out to dinner."  
Edan was confused, "I thought you didn't want to call it a—"  
"Shh… I changed my mind," she whispered.  
Edan's chest puffed out a little.  
"Is that for me?" Kaily asked.  
"Uh, yeah. Just wanted to see how you were doing so I baked you a cake. It's red velvet."  
"Mmm, I _love_ the homemade frosting you make!"

Dominic blushed a little. Edan was laughing inside. Dominic was a well built guy that looked like he could snap a man in half with his own two hands and here he was in an apron, blushing.

"Well, uh… here you go."  
He handed her the cake, scratched the back of his head, noticed he still had on his apron and ripped it off. He stumbled back inside his apartment and closed the door.  
"What's wrong with him?" Edan asked.  
"Whenever I meet a guy, he feels like he has to act all tough around him. You caught him off guard. Really, he's just a big marshmallow. Just a little protective of me. He's okay with you, though. He hasn't tried to kick your ass yet."  
"I'm…flattered. Anyway, I've got to get going. The office came across a new program that can bypass MySpace's anti-spam software. We can generate fake users now and spam people with bulletins."  
"Sounds fun," she said.  
"You didn't understand a word I said."  
"Nope, not a bit."  
"Alright. Bye."  
"Bye, be safe." Edan noticed that she snuck in a bit of emphasis behind that sentence.  
"I will. Goodnight."  
"Night."

Edan walked down the stairs and back outside. He was retracing his way back to his car and he heard some shuffling behind him. He looked behind him and there was nothing. He shrugged it off and continued walking, but then he heard it again, almost like his footsteps were echoing off the walls around him. He was sure of it now. They weren't echoes; they were a second pair of footsteps. It was faint, but he knew somebody was there. It could just be somebody going out for a stroll, but he doubted it would be. He continued on his way, but he started looking down. He walked near the lampposts and watched his shadow, looking to see if a second one would sneak up behind him.

He popped his knuckles in preparation and his ears strained to hear over his own footsteps. He could stop, but then if he _was_ being followed then he would give away that he knew about it. Instead he continued walking, loosening his shoulders and heightening his awareness ready for a split-second's notice.

He was almost to his car. He took out his keys, thinking that maybe it _was_ just somebody going out for a walk. He relaxed a little.

A deep bass voice sounded out, "Hey."

Edan snapped around, tense again. It was Dominic, and he was…holding out a plate of red velvet cake?

"Dammit, what is it with people sneaking up behind me this past week?"  
"Kaily wanted me to give this to you."  
"Uh... thanks. I think." Edan accepted the plate. "Is it poisoned?" he joked.  
"No." Something told Edan that Dominic didn't have much of a sense of humor.

Edan and Dominic just kind of stood there. Edan noticed that Dominic had the same piercing eyes as Kaily. It unnerved him.

"Do you know that guy?" Dominic nodded to a person across the street.

Edan looked over to who he was talking about. It was that guy he ran into earlier that night. He was watching Edan and smoking a cigarette. He threw down his cigarette, stamped it out, then continued on his walk. How long had he been standing there? Edan _really_ didn't like this guy, whoever he was.

"You watch yourself," Dominic said. It wasn't a threat, it was a warning. He could detect a bit of respect coming from Dominic.

Some friends _he's _made. Well, _friend_ would be more like it. He wasn't very sure where Dominic stood with him. He drove home and hit the sack. He was really going to regret staying out that late.


	4. Robbery

Chapter 4

Robbery

As soon as Edan got off work, he made a visit to the coffee shop that Kaily worked at. He walked up to the counter and she was ringing up a customer.

"Oh, hi! How was your cake?"

"I survived."

"Haha. Did Dominic play nice?"

"Actually, he was fine. "

"Good to hear. So, do you want some coffee or are you just here to see me?"

"What time you get off?"

"I get off in about 45 minutes."

"Alright. I'll just grab a book and we'll do something once you clock out. "

"Yay!"

Edan ordered a mocha frappe to keep her busy then looked through the graphic novels. _God_, he thought to himself, _I'm such a nerd_. Nevertheless, he sat at a table near a window at the front of the store and started reading. It had been a while since he had picked one up. None of the story made sense. The quality of comics nowadays had gone to hell in a hand basket. What happened to the good old days when superheroes wore masks and fought crime? Now there's this thing about superheroes registering under their civilian names and they're fighting each other. He thought it was complete bullshit.

It wasn't too long before Kaily closed up and they walked out to his car.

Edan tossed the keys in his hand. "So, you up for renting a movie?"

Kaily got excited. "Sure! I wanna choose."

"Okay, but I have to approve."

Kaily blew a raspberry. "That's no fun."

When they got to the store, Kaily ran back to the horror section and grabbed an old movie.

"What the hell is this?"

"You have to see it. It's a Japanese horror film about psychic starfish from space."

"You want to watch this?"

"I love movies like this. They're so crappy they're hilarious."

"Well, I've probably seen just about everything else in here. Let's go for it."

He drove them back to his apartment, got some dinner going, and got comfortable on the couch. It was a movie from the fifties and was completely in subtitles, even the sound effects. Near the end of the movie, Edan felt something bump into his shoulder. Kaily had fallen asleep. He was content just to sit there with her; the movie didn't matter anymore. Actually, the movie never mattered. It was funny, but that still didn't make up for its crappiness. When the credits started rolling, he switched a lamp light on and Kaily's eyes flickered a little. She was out cold. He maneuvered off the couch and replaced his shoulder with a pillow, then he took up the plates and glasses. When he finished the dishes he walked back into the living room. She was still lying on the pillow but she had woken up and was looking at him.

"Morning, sunshine."

"Shutup," Kaily grumbled playfully.

"I thought you liked these type of movies…"

"I do, but I'm still tired from last night."

Edan looked at his watch. "Man, it's almost two. I better get you home."

"Alright, let me get my things."

Kaily slept like a baby on the way back. He parked in front of her apartment and walked to her side of the car. He opened the door and shook her knee gently until she woke up. She inhaled deeply.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Mmm, thank you."

He helped her out of the car and walked her up to her door on the third floor.

"Thank you for having me, Edan."

"Oh, it was no problem at all. I enjoyed having you over."

"Hopefully…I'll see you tomorrow?"

Edan didn't hesitate to answer. "It's a sure thing."

"Good."

They said their goodbyes and Edan made his way downstairs back to his car. Just before he was about to walk out the doorway he heard a shattering of glass and three gunshots. Edan wasn't going to take a chance that it was somebody else's apartment that he heard those gunshots from. He stumbled up the stairs as fast as he could. 2nd Floor. He heard a door get kicked in. It was _her_ floor. He scrambled up the stairs almost on all fours. Her door wasn't just kicked in, it was smashed in. Half of the threshold was ripped out of the wall. Dominic's door was hanging open. Did _he _do that? Edan's heart was pounding, trying to jump out of his chest. His breathing was ragged and the air in his lungs was so damned freezing that he was about to fall over. He tried to take deeper, slower breaths to gain a little bit of composure. He was no good to Kaily as a bundle of nerves. He didn't have anything to go in with, but that was the last thing on his mind. He had to make sure that the robber wasn't still there. He had to find Kaily and make sure she wasn't dead.

He stepped over the smashed door and snuck into the apartment. He made his way into the kitchen first. At the very least, he could find some kitchen knife or something to defend himself with. The freezer was already open. The robber had been here, too. Why? He rummaged through her cabinets and shelves and found a butcher knife. Good enough. He heard a shuffling back out in the living room. The robber was still here. He kept his back to the wall and sidled up to the entrance that led out into the living room again. He held his breath and tried to listen for some footsteps, but he couldn't hear any. With all the noise he made looking for a weapon, there was no doubt the robber knew he was there. He could be sneaking up to the other side of the entrance at this very moment. Edan wasn't going to take that chance. He counted to three and let out a yell as he charged around and into the living room. Dominic caught him by the wrists, the blade inches from his face.


	5. Emergency

Chapter 5

Emergency

Edan was enraged. He lunged after him with the knife, missed, and bull rushed him into the coffee table. "IT WAS YOU! YOU GODDAMN BASTARD!"

"Edan—"  
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO HER?!"  
"EDAN!!"

Dominic shoved him off. He flew across the room from the force. In a split second Dominic was already up and had him pinned down. Dominic was growling. His eyes were bright blue and he barred his teeth; his sharp, fanged teeth.

"Listen! Kaily's still alive, but she won't be for long unless you help her."  
Edan's heart stopped. "Wh-what are you?"  
Dominic pounded his fist on the floor. "You can get the details later! She needs your help NOW!"

Dominic yanked him back up and ran into her bedroom. Edan wasn't far behind. Her window was broken out, picture frames and a lamp were knocked off her dresser and end table, and on the floor at the foot of the bed was Kaily. Her shirt was covered in blood and she was breathing hard.

Dominic looked to Edan. "She's lost a lot of blood."  
"God, we need to call for an ambulan—"  
"No!" Kaily interrupted. She coughed out some blood and fell back.  
Dominic spoke up. "We can't do that. That would just cause more problems. Besides, she'd be dead before she got to the hospital."  
"Why?"  
Dominic was losing his patience."Edan, we're vampires." Edan was confused. "Don't ask questions. You need to give her your hand."  
"But—"  
"GIVE HER YOUR FUCKING HAND, DAMMIT!"

Edan did as he was told. She took it and pulled until the inside of his elbow was at her mouth. Her eyes closed and when she opened them, those piercing blue eyes reappeared. Her eyes were dilated and her canines grew sharp and to a point. She felt with her fingers, located his arterial vein, and bit in. Edan gasped. It was a sharp pain at first and it started to burn, but then it died down. He could feel the blood being pulled out of his vein. He thought about those times that he gave blood at church blood drives. He gripped his fist and let go periodically to settle his nerves a little. It went on for a minute or two, and he could hear Kaily gulping it all in. The bullets were pumping out of her chest and they popped out. The bleeding stopped soon after. She drew out her fangs and gasped for air.

Dominic ran into the restroom and came back in with some tape and gauze. As he helped Edan bandage his arm he thanked Edan.

"I'm in your debt, Edan. I don't know how much longer she would have lasted."  
"Will she be alright?"  
"She'll be fine. She just needs to rest."  
"Good. Now…you need to explain some things to me."  
"Not yet. We're not through. Those gunshots could be heard all throughout the building. One of these spineless neighbors of ours might have gathered up enough nerve to call the police."

Dominic was right. He could hear those shots from down in the lobby, and there was yet to be a tenant to pop his head out of his apartment and see what was going on. What could you expect from a huge downtown city? Robberies like this happened all the time. They usually hid in their rooms and waited it out, expecting somebody else to alert the authorities because it sure wasn't going to be them.

"Alright, what can I do?" Edan asked.  
"Drive her to your place for the night. I'll carry her down to the car. The last thing we need is the cops finding a girl with three gunshot wounds in her chest. I'll stay here and take care of the mess."  
"What about what just happened? How are we going to explain that?"  
"This isn't the first time this has happened to us. I've got an explanation ready."

Edan made sure not to speed back to his place. He didn't want to gather any unwanted attention. He parked as close as he could to his apartment building and offered to carry her.

"No," Kaily refused, " I can walk, just give me a hand."

Edan helped her to the elevator and they rode it up one floor to his apartment. He unlocked the door and laid her down on his couch, then drew the curtains on the windows behind his computer desk.

He was still nerve-wracked. "Is there anything I can do? You feeling okay? Need some bandages? More blood?"  
Kaily let out a faint laugh. She was steadily regaining her strength. "Edan, I'm fine."  
She got up and walked toward him. "Thank you _so_ much, Edan. I would have died if it wasn't for you."  
"What about Dominic? Why couldn't he just give you some of his?"  
"It doesn't work like that. He's a vampire, too. If I were to drink his blood I'd just drain his life away. Dominic knew you'd be able to handle it. He trusts you more than you think."  
"Well, I'm glad you're okay."  
"Yes. I am. Thanks to you." She moved up closer to Edan and kissed him.

Edan blushed a little, then his vision started to blur. His knees buckled and he fell over. Darkness.

Edan slowly regained consciousness. He was lying on his couch and Kaily was sitting on his recliner cradling a cup of coffee.

"That's for you." She pointed to another cup on his coffee table.  
He sat up. "Thanks."  
They both sat there in silence for a while drinking their coffee.  
Edan broke the silence. "Ummm…about me fainting. I wasn't—uh—y'know…"  
"Nah. You were just dizzy from me drinking your blood."  
"Heh. Yeah, that must be it."

Kaily looked down into her mug. "So I guess I owe you an explanation."  
"One of those would be nice…"  
"Alright. Where to begin? Yes, I'm a vampire, and so is Dominic. We've been around for a really, _really_ long time. Before you ask…No. We are not spawns of the devil. We don't turn into bats either. Basically, we're human beings that suffer from a "disease". It makes us more resilient and, given good circumstances, we can practically live forever. Whether that is a good or bad thing is a matter of perspective."  
"So how do you survive if you subsist off of blood? It isn't exactly easy to murder somebody and drink their blood nowadays. Forensics and all that would catch you in a heartbeat."  
Kaily nodded ,"Correct, but I don't kill. I'm a sanguinarian, which means that I only need a little bit of blood to survive. About a cup or two every month. In this case, however, I had lost a lot of blood so I had to draw more from you than I usually do. Sorry."  
Edan shrugged it off, "Hey, I'm still kicking."  
"Glad to see you being optimistic about all of this."

Edan got up and offered to get them some more coffee, but Kaily wouldn't hear of it. She argued that he was still weak and she had almost gone through a full recovery already. Besides, she was a barista at a coffee shop. She came back with two homemade mochas and handed him one.

"So, Kaily….is that your real name?"  
"Hmm? Oh, no. Kaily Paris is just my current alias. My real name is Sara Chevillard….."


	6. Sara Chevillard

_If you've made it this far, chances are that you like it. Please share the love and tell me what you think about the story so far. I'm dying hear what you have to say._

_Enjoy and I hope you're looking forward for what lies ahead!_

* * *

Chapter 6

Sara Chevillard

"My real name is Sara Chevillard. I grew up as the daughter of a butcher in Tolouse, France during the mid-1500s and married a painter by the name of Colin Tristram. He was featherbrained and absentminded but I loved him for his determination and heart. His feelings were always genuine and he was a wonderful husband. Together we lived out in the French country running a small farm. Times were always hard, but we were able to subsist off of our own crops and sold the surplus to the closest town market. What money we made usually went toward Colin's art supplies, but I was okay with that. He loved his art and as long as he was happy, I was happy.

"One night as we were both sleeping, I was woken up by the bleating of our sheep. I assumed that there was probably a dog nearby. He had been harassing the herd for the past week or so. I tried to wake up Colin but he was sleeping pretty deeply. I decided to do it myself; all I had to do was scare it off, and he usually didn't come back for the rest of the night to cause more trouble. I lit up a lantern and walked out to check on them. The gate to the fence was open and I came to the conclusion that Colin hadn't shut the gate all the way. His mind was always somewhere else. I closed the gate then counted the sheep and one was missing. I had supposed that it was in the woods so I ran in after it. I called out for it and after about fifteen minutes of searching I gave up. It would get scared and turn up in the morning, most likely.

"I turned around and met the hollow, blue eyes of a dark stranger. The bright red blood spattered on his clothing contrasted against the buffeting darkness, suggesting that it had been freshly spilt only a few moments before. I dropped the lantern where I stood and was frozen in fear. All the air left my lungs, my stomach jumped up into my chest, and a void was left at the very center of my core. I struggled to regain control over myself as I began to realize he was between me and the house. However, his eyes held me in place. I was too afraid to blink. That's all he needed; just one blink and I'd be dead before I opened my eyes again. I had no idea how far away I was from home, but I tried to let out a scream. Maybe Colin would hear and come to my rescue. He cupped a hand over my mouth and in the blink of an eye he was already behind me with my arm locked behind my back.

"'Shhh... it's alright. Take a deep breath," he whispered as his grip tightened around my wrist. Tears clouded my vision, helpless against this madman, but his soothing reassurances comforted me. "Calm down. That's right…calm down. All of this will be over sooner the less you fight.'

He stroked my hair and a feeling of serenity came over me. My muscles relaxed and for a moment, I felt safe. He was there; he would protect me. I closed my eyes and let in a deep breath, giving myself to him, yet the beat of my heart pounded and pounded from a combination of both anxiety and anticipation. Restlessness was scratching at my insides, trying to claw its way out…and then I remembered Colin.

"I broke out of my trance and remembered where I was. I began to panic and struggle again, biting deep into the palm still cupping my mouth, but he showed not the faintest bit of recoil. He laughed, 'What is it, love? Why are you fighting? Did I not tell you it was alright? That human filth is bound to you till death, and we don't want that. No, he won't hold you back any longer, dragging you down the fickle, mortal path. He doesn't appreciate you for who you really are, but I do, love. I'm offering you a means of preservation… with your permission, of course. Together we can sample the fruits of what eternity has to offer.'

"I thrashed about, refusing to hear anything that he had to say. I wasn't going to give in; not to him. He swung me around, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding my hand in his as if ready to dance. He looked longingly into my eyes and I fought with all my might not to be swayed by him. "That's fine. You don't have to accept it now, but why can't you see what I'm doing for you? I can't help that we had to meet like this. If it were up to me, it would have been on more romantic terms.'

"I began to cry again. 'Please, let me go,' I begged.

'Ah,' he replied ' I can't do that, love. I'm hungry and I can't wait much longer. It is unfortunate for both of us, believe me. If you wish, after I'm done here I will leave and you'll never see me again, but I warn you…you have no idea how lonely it can be. Every single one of your partners will abandon you, leaving you unfulfilled almost to the point of madness. I am here to give you a gift that many spend their whole lives looking for, and all I ask for is that you spend it with me.'

"He drew my hand up to his face and took in my scent, running up and down my arm until he stopped at my wrist. 'Please excuse me…'He sank his fangs into my wrist. I felt a sharp sting and it felt like acid was coursing through my veins. I could feel the blood being sucked out of me in a steady stream, faster than my heart could pump it. I hit him as hard as I could with my free hand but he wouldn't budge. It just made it more painful for me because he had his teeth buried in my wrist. I tried to find a way free, to pry his fingers off, but his grip was too strong. I sighted the lantern, but it was just out of my reach. I stretch as far out as possible, his teeth started tearing into my wrist, but I reached out further and further. I got a finger on the handle and I slowly pulled it closer to me. When I got it close enough to grasp, I swung it around and smashed it against his face.

"He pulled out and hissed, holding the side of his face in his hands and his neck began to char.

'You bitch!' he yelled and backhanded me. The force of the blow torqued my neck and I felt a sharp twinge shoot through my body as my legs turned to jelly and I fell back. The side of my head cracked open on a rock, and pain started to flood into my temple. I was already weak from blood loss and I was getting tired. I started to lose consciousness and my whole world faded to black."


	7. The Wake

Chapter 7

The Wake

"I think I was sleeping. I don't know. I felt like I was awake, but I wasn't all there. Everything felt so ethereal. I felt the presence of others there, hovering over me. They talked, to whom I have no idea; maybe each other. I tried asking them for help but my voice was gone. I willed my mouth to open up and speak, but I couldn't move it. My whole body was numb and lifeless. With great effort, I pulled out of my corporeal self and reached out to them, but I sifted right through. Even outside of my own body I felt cold, chilled to the very core. The whole world began to spin, faster and faster until I didn't know which direction was up. 

"…And then I felt weightlessness. The spinning condensed to a point and then exploded out into shards of colors, like shattered stained glass. At the epicenter of the explosion was a man in a yellow robe sitting cross legged upon an altar. A light glowed behind him, almost totally eclipsing him. He whispered something, but I couldn't quite hear over the slow, sad melody played by a pipe organ from an unknown source. Blurred images began to form in the distance on either side of the robed man. He spoke a little louder. I could hear his voice, as if he was speaking on the other side of a wall. He only spoke a handful of words at a time, but I couldn't make out what they were. The blurred images came into focus, becoming ghostly figures dressed completely in black. Some wore black veils while others wore hats. They all looked down, so I couldn't see their faces. They walked forward, meeting in the middle, and continued their somber procession towards me, walking past as if I wasn't there. I removed one of the veils; the phantom lady didn't seem to notice. I discovered a white cloth mask with a painted-on eye and mouth. Half of the face was completely covered in a shadow so dark you couldn't see the other eye. 'Wake up.' I turned back around to the robed man. 'Wake up,' he said again. He could see me. The organ music got louder and so did he. Things started to lose color and the world eventually turned to black and white. 'Wake up.' I was sure that was what he was saying, now. I started to focus more on him. He was almost yelling now, commanding me. 'Wake up.' _Wake up from what?_ I asked myself. I sifted through the ghosts, inching closer and closer to him until I ran into six ghostly pallbearers carrying a coffin. I moved out of their way, watching as they passed by, and then continued on my way. "What? Wake up from what?" I shouted at the man. I was so close to him now that I could make out the features of his face, the wrinkles on his forehead. 'Now!' his voice echoed. The procession stopped. The ghosts dropped the coffin and everyone turned towards me, their superficial faces clouded over with soulless intention. They opened the coffin and stood back with hands folded before them. I walked towards it to see what was inside. Who had died? It was me. The body that I had left behind was in that coffin. I was sucked back into my body, frozen once again. I tried to scream, but it was futile. A ghost presented a black shroud to his fellow pall bearers. They unfolded it over me and shut the casket, shutting out the light.

"I woke up gasping for air and sweating profusely. I couldn't see anything. Were my eyes open or was I blind? My hands were crossed over my heart, and I was lying on my back surrounded by what felt like flower petals. The perfumed scent had long since left their vellum skin and in its place was a dank, stale smell of wet dirt. I brought up a hand to feel my eyes and my elbow hit a wall of wood. I wiggled my feet and hit walls on either side of me and was met with a dull sounding thump. I screamed, but it was muffled by the solid wooden barrier. I used what little space I had in front of me to bang on the wall, pleading for help. I was answered with stoic silence and loose dirt that fell through the cracks, irritating my eyes and causing me to choke on the buildup in my throat. Maybe I hadn't been dreaming… I had been buried alive! "


	8. First Blood

Chapter 8

First Blood

"I was still gasping for air. I panicked, beating harder and harder and until I became hysterical. The coffin started to splinter and give way. I didn't recall ever being that strong. It didn't matter; it was working. I broke through and loose dirt started falling through. I got some in my mouth and I coughed. I started using my hands to dig through, scraping inch by inch. The dirt started to fall apart easier and it was getting softer. I was near the surface. I punched through, and scrambled to get my face up to the hole for some air. The shattered boards from the coffin were tearing through the dress I was buried in and digging into my skin. I was too desperate to care, though. My lungs hurt and my body was aching all over. I looked up to find a tombstone in my memory: Sara Chevillard, 1534-1557

"Apparently, my husband had looked for me the very next morning and had found my comatose body, mistaking me for dead. The first thing I wanted to do was run back home to Colin, but I knew that wouldn't turn out too well. He thought I was dead. I took some time to recover and then thought about where I would go from there. I re-covered the grave I had popped out of so it wouldn't bring attention to my missing body. Then, I had to find some new clothes. I was still in fancy burial clothes. I snuck back to the house while Colin was still asleep and into the chest at the foot of the bed to recover some clothes. I grabbed some food on the way out. I was surprised at how easy it was for me to sneak in and out. My footsteps never made a sound. I ran back into the woods, changed, and ate. The food, however, didn't sate the least bit of my hunger.

"From there I went to the village nearby and walked the streets. I was still feeling a little feverish and I was completely starved. Hunger pangs kicked in and I retreated behind an inn to sit down and rest for a bit. The fever worsened and I started to hallucinate. Two prostitutes walked by, flamboyant and flashy on the outside, dead on the inside. Their cackling laughs echoed in my head and the world started to spin. A man stumbled out of the bar, obviously drunk. He was singing off key and he was holding the wall to keep the world right side up. He looked down at me and tried to see what the matter was. I wasn't going to answer him; it would just egg him on. Nonetheless, he wouldn't leave me alone. He mistook me for a prostitute and tried to give me money. When I refused, he threw a tantrum and tried to rape me. I attempted to run away but he grabbed me by the hair and threw me against a wall. My head was already pounding and now it was excruciating. He began ripping of my skirt and pounded my head back into the ground whenever I tried to fight him off.

"Then there was a flash of light and night turned to day. I was filled with rage and bloodlust. I had the uncontrollable urge to rip out his throat and shred him to pieces. I knocked him off of me, his pants still around his ankles, and pinned him down wrapping my hands around his throat and strangling him. He started squirming but I could feel my grip getting tighter. His airway sounded with a visceral crunch and I could hear his neck snap from the pressure as I thrashed his head back and forth. His arms waved about slower and slower and at last they went limp. I was about to run away, but then I turned around. I wasn't done yet. I was still hungry. I wanted to drink his blood. Completely on impulse I grabbed up his corpse and dragged him into a dark alley. I drained him of his blood and then broke out of my trance.

"I didn't know what to do. Here I was, standing over a man I had just murdered….and I _drank his blood_ I was a vampire. That man in the woods had bitten me and turned me into a vampire. That was what he had meant by eternal life. I sat there and cried.

"I don't know how long I sat there, but I soon realized that my head no longer pounded and my fever was gone. I checked to see if all my scratches and gashes were still there; not a scar. I felt the back of my head and it was like I had never had that accident in the woods. I wouldn't be able to explain this to Colin. I told myself that I would NEVER see him again. I didn't want to burden him with the knowledge of who, or _what_, I really was. It would better that he thought I was dead."


	9. Breaking the Myth

Chapter 9

Breaking the Myth

By this time, Edan had already gone through three cups of coffee and he was examining the ring at the bottom of his fourth coffee mug. "So… you ran away?"

"No. I could never— could never— " Kaily got up from her chair, her eyes tearing up and obviously unable to finish her sentence. She stood with her arms crossed facing away from Edan and stared at the wall. She took a moment, wiped away the tears, then turned back around. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to—"

"Hey, no need to apologize about anything. You're sitting here pouring your heart out. Just take it easy and remember that you don't have to continue if you don't want to."

"Thank you…"

She took a deep breath, "Eventually I did leave, but I stayed with him for a while longer, hiding in the woods during the day and keeping an eye on him at night."She looked off into nothing, getting caught up in the nostalgia and a smirk swept across her face, "Sometimes he woke up to find that his morning chores had already been done: his firewood had already been gathered and chopped, feed had already been put out for the animals, and the cows had already been milked. Confused the hell out of him, but he wasn't one to question good fortune."

"Heh, I wish there was somebody like that for me," Edan joked, "I'd like to wake up one day to find that my bills had already been paid."

She laughed out loud and then took a sigh of relief. "Ah, thank you. I needed that."

"No problem."

Edan's cell rang. He looked at the caller ID and it read _Kaily_. He gave a confused look and answered to see who it really was. "Hello?"

"Edan? Hey, this is Dominic. I had to borrow Kaily's phone because I didn't know how to get a hold of you two. Just wanted to let you both know that everything is taken care of. I straightened things out with the cops and they think that the burglar broke in through the front door while she was gone and then took a few shots at me when I came over to see if everything was alright. They just left, but they said they'd be dropping by a few times for the next couple of days."

"Great. I'll tell Kaily."

"Yeah, it's safe to come back whenever you're ready."

"We'll be over soon." _Beep _

Edan checked the time on his phone after he hung up. It was almost half past seven.

"Who was that?" Kaily asked.

"Dominic. He said that everything's settled so we can make our way back now."

"Good. I'll just stick these cups in the sink really fast."

When she was all set, they walked out to into the hall and Edan locked the door. They took the elevator to the ground floor and Edan was about to reach for the front door when he suddenly stopped.

"What?" Kaily asked.

"It's morning now. As soon as I open that door, I'll find out whether I'm a vampire or not."

He swung open the door and inched forward a bit, gingerly sticking his hand outside to test its safety. He clamped his eyes shut and braced for the excruciating burning that would run up his arm. Then he was shoved out from behind, completely exposed to the sun's potentially deadly rays. He scrambled back inside, literally falling on his face, before getting back up and out of the light.

"What the hell was that for?! Are you crazy? I could have burst into flames!!"

Kaily was taken over by uncontrollable laughter.

"What? What's so funny about that?" Edan fumed.

"If you were a vampire, we would have known by now."

Edan calmed down, still breathing hard from being scared shitless. "Huh?"

"Just because a vampire bites you doesn't always mean that you become one yourself. Sometimes it takes a few bites before the victim is turned."

"Well, there could have been the chance that I was turned into one," Edan argued.

"If you had, you would have broken out into a fever first and then drop into a coma. If you came out of that coma, then you would be a true vampire."

"And if not?"

"Then you would be dead."

Edan stood there shocked. Kaily just smiled and walked past him and headed toward the car. When Edan broke out of his trance, he chased after her."Wait. How come you're able to walk out in the sunlight?"

"Sunlight doesn't set us on fire, dear. It's harmful in large doses, but we can be exposed to it. We just have to be careful about sun poisoning because we burn exceptionally easy. Also, we are more sensitive to the light so we try not to look directly at the sun or we risk falling into an epileptic fit."

"So why haven't you broken into a seizure yet?" Edan asked.

She pointed to her eyes, "Contacts. They were specially manufactured by other vampires to reflect most of the sun and block out UV rays. In fact, that's how one can identify a vampire during the day. Their eyes seem to flash if you look at them from the right angle."

She gave it some time for him to soak in all this new information, then she continued. "Vampires are more commonplace than you think. We have government contacts, people in the hospital, and moles in the media. All this to cover up the existence of vampires and to help us lead normal lives."

Edan unlocked the car and stuck the keys in the ignition switch. "Man, it must be annoying hearing all these myths about vampires."

Kaily got in on the other side. "Not really; it's kind of nice, actually. Nobody expects us to be out during the day, in your churches praying alongside you and in your restaurants cooking your food."

"Hmm, good point." Edan started the car and he drove her back to her apartment. When they arrived, Edan bee-lined it to the couch and passed out. It had been a long day and an even longer night.


	10. Grocery Shopping

Chapter 10

Grocery Shopping

Edan woke back up to find Dominic with a trash bag in his hands. He threw Edan his jacket. "C'mon. We have some errands to do." Edan pulled on his jacket and slipped on his shoes.

"So what's in the bag?" Edan asked.

"Kaily's clothes. We have to get rid of them since they have blood and bullet holes all over them."

They walked down to Dominic's car and he threw the bag in the back seat. He looked over the car at Edan, "So, do you work today?"

"Hmm? Oh, I have about three weeks worth of vacation time so I'll just use one of those days."

"Alright."

"How about Kaily?" Edan asked.

"She called in sick today. She still needs a bit more rest before she can go out and do anything. Again, I can't thank you enough for last night."

"It's no problem. I'd happily do it again."

They got in the car and Dominic drove in the direction of the hospital.

"So what's your story, Dominic?" Edan asked.

"Well, I'm a vampire from Italy. According to the legend, I'm known as the Stregoni Benefici. Unlike many of the vampires of my day, I was recognized as a good vampire that protected humans and I fought other vampires to the death."

Edan mulled it over in his head, "Stregoni Benefici, huh? So how did you meet Kaily?"

"We both immigrated here to America in the 1800s. I had come straight from Italy and she had been living in Ireland, so she came over with the influx of Irish from the Potato Famine. We both met at a séance in New York. Back then, she went by the name of Mary Cowan and my name was Stephan Tagliabue."

He stopped for a second, trying to think back 150 years, deeper and deeper. Evidence of nostalgia was all over his face and a smile swept across his mouth, "Despite the fact that she had been around for almost 300 years prior to our meeting, she was still very lost. Back in Ireland, she had been living in an abandoned castle by the sea. She had been living in solitude for over a century and she had almost forgotten what it was like to socialize with others. We've stuck with each other ever since."

"Wow. So how old are you?" Edan asked.

Dominic scoffed, "I've lost count. After a while, it ceases to matter. I guess you could say that I've been frozen at an age around my mid-twenties to early thirties."

"It must be tough"

"Tough?"

"Living so long that you forget how old you are."

"Yeah, there are only so many experiences a man can fit into a lifetime, but I think I've had just about every experience there is to be had. Immortality is as much a curse as it is a blessing," Dominic let out a sigh and turned to Edan, the weariness apparent in his eyes, "I'm tired, Edan. I'm tired of all this bullshit: this world, this life, this eternity of waiting."

"I don't know what to say, Dominic," Edan replied, trying to comfort him," I really can't. All I know is that Kaily would be lost without you. I wouldn't know how to take care of her like you do."

"To tell you the truth, I would have given up a long time ago if it wasn't for Kaily. People make me sick. All their fighting, their stealing….they murder their own kind, for Christ's sake! Here I am trying to protect humankind from other vampires, but the human race is well on its way to snuffing itself out. Kaily, on the other hand, is pure. She's been around for almost half a millennium and she's as innocent as the day she was born. I'm still around just to make sure she's safe. I don't know what I'd do if I were to ever lose her."

They remained quiet for the rest of the trip. When they got to the hospital, Dominic navigated the car around the back of the hospital to where there were two dumpster bins. There were two men in nurse scrubs sitting right outside the back door taking a smoke break. One flicked his cigarette and made his way to the car. As Dominic got out, the nurse spoke up.

"Dominic! How you doin', bud?"

"Hey, Aaron."

Dominic reached in through the rear window and Aaron got curious, "You got something for me?"

"Yeah," Dominic tossed him the trash bag, "I need those to disappear."

Aaron took a peek into the bag and whistled, "What happened?"

"A robber broke into Kaily's apartment last night. He shot Kaily and escaped through her bedroom window."

"That's a shame."

"The thing is, the robber broke into her freezer and stole all her blood."

"Hmm, that's weird. We may have a hunter on our hands. Is she alright?"

"She's fine, "Dominic nodded towards Edan, "thanks to this guy."

"And who's this? Another fledgling?"

"This is Edan. He's human, but he's safe."

Aaron gave Dominic an unsure look, "Alright…if you say so. So I'm guessing this means you want some more blood, too."

"Whatever you've got."

"Alright, follow me," Aaron motioned them to follow

As they walked in through the back, Aaron handed the bag to the other nurse, "Take those to the incinerator." They continued through a few hallways, and Aaron brought them into a room full of refrigeration units and a blood transfusion machine. He threw an open cooler on the table and then opened up a refrigerator.

"So what you feel like today? We just got in another shipment of B positive about an hour ago."

"Well, Kaily and I have both run out so fill the cooler up with O positive. Nothing fancy."

"Alright. You're the boss," Aaron placed in a few bags, put them on ice, and then handed it over to Dominic. "Eight one-pint bags of O positive on the rocks."

"Thanks. How much do I owe you?" Dominic asked as he pulled out his wallet

"Four hundred even."

Dominic handed him the money.

"Thanks," Aaron said as he counted the money," I threw in an extra pint of AB negative for Kaily. Tell her I'm sorry about the bad luck."

"Will do. I'll see you around."

As they got back into the car, Edan's curiosity got the best of him.

"So what's this about a hunter?"

"A vampire hunter," Dominic replied," Some men take it upon themselves to purge the world of us 'evil' vampires. They aren't that common; personally, I've yet to see one."

"And what if this robber turns out to be a hunter, instead?" Edan asked.

"Then we're in for some trouble. This guy is sloppy, and if somebody doesn't stop him soon then he'll blow the lid off our secret little community."

"That's not good."

"No it isn't," he agreed.

Dominic started the car and drove off, a discreet cooler in his back seat. As they left the premises of the hospital, Edan looked back. He wondered to himself; if there were vampires working in the hospitals and modifying government records then just how many of them were there? Edan was beginning to realize that he had stumbled upon an underground network of vampires. It wasn't the _most_ comforting thing in the world to him, but somehow he would manage to get some sleep at night.


	11. Hunter Revealed

Chapter 11

Hunter Revealed

Edan reached into the back of the car for the cooler as Dominic found a parking spot and then they both made their way up to his apartment. Dominic opened the door and went directly to the refrigerator, while Edan set the cooler on the kitchen counter then walked deeper into the living room. It was the first time that Edan had been inside the apartment so he looked around for anything that could tell him more about this man. The decorations on the wall looked to be from all across the world and from assorted eras, signs of a well traveled man. Wooden tribal masks, Oriental fans, and batik sashes adorned his living space; books of varying age lined the media center. He pulled out a copy of _Tales_ by Edgar A. Poe and leafed through its yellowed pages.

Edan examined the title page and found at the bottom:

NEW YORK:

WILEY AND PUTNAM, 161 BROADWAY.

1845.

He walked back to the doorway of the kitchen and asked Dominic, "How long have you had these books?"

"Since they've been out," he replied, "The stuff in the living room is just the romantics. I have some of realist and naturalist literature in my bedroom."

Dominic was just finishing up making room for the spare blood.

"Is there anything I could help with?" Edan asked.

"Well," Dominic fished in his pockets and tossed him the keys, " could you go and grab the mail downstairs? I forgot to get it on the way up. It's '308 – Bianchi'"

"No problem. Be right back."

Edan left the door open and ran downstairs, opening up Dominic's box and pulling out a handful of mail. As he made his way up he repeated to himself,_Dominic Bianchi…._He had never known Dominic's last name until now. It looked like Dominic was just beginning to trust him, and he was glad. You don't want to get on the bad side of someone like Dominic. As he walked back in the room and headed towards the kitchen, he caught the back of a man sneaking up on Dominic with a wooden stake in hand.

"Hey!" Edan shouted.

The man jumped and lunged at Dominic's open back, but Dominic was able to pivot around and catch the man by the wrist. Dominic grabbed the stake then shoved him away in one fluid motion, sending him flying out of the kitchen and on to the floor. Edan had to dive out of the way to avoid getting hit. The intruder stumbled back onto his own two feet and reached inside his jacket pulling out a handgun, but Dominic was already on top of him swatting the gun away before he could aim it and pinned him to the wall with one hand. Edan ran to secure the gun and Dominic was elevating the man off the floor, hanging him from his neck. He writhed and wriggled like a snake dangled in the air.

Dominic stopped loosened his grip just enough to hear what he had to say, "Who are you?" he demanded. The man didn't answer, but instead pulled out a small silver cross from his pocket and shoved it in Dominic's face. Dominic ripped it out of his hands and examined it casually. He scoffed and tossed it behind him. He pounded the man against the wall, hissing through clenched teeth, "I'm starting to lose my patience! Who. Are. You?" The man pointed to the grip Dominic had on his throat, motioning that he would cooperate. Dominic slowly let him down, but still kept a strong grip on his collar. The man winced from the pain. Edan aimed the gun at him, ready for anything the man might pull.

He massaged his throat, croaking out an answer, "My name is…name is Theron," he coughed some more, gasping for breath, "I came here to hunt you down."

"So you ARE a hunter," Edan said.

"No," Dominic said,"he can't be. He tried to shoot me with a gun."

Theron wheezed out a laugh, "That gun is loaded with silver bullets. You would have been writhing in pain just now."

Dominic connected a hook to his jaw, "SHUT THE FUCK UP! If you're a vampire hunter, then you're a fucking idiot of a hunter. Silver bullets are for werewolves, you dumbass!"

Edan remembered something, "Wait, is this the same guy that tried to kill Kaily last night?"

"I don't know," Dominic turned his attention back to Theron, "The girl across the hall; did you attack her last night?"

The hunter wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, still smiling, "Oh, so it was you that busted in last night. Yes, it was me. After I stole her blood stores I was going to slit her throat and let her bleed out slowly, but you broke in and I had to finish the job quickly."

"Well, congratulations. She's still alive. It takes more than a few bullets to stop a vampire," Dominic snarled.

"Oh? Then how about the others? They all died the moment I shot them."

"What!?" he growled in disbelief, "That means you've been killing innocent people then!"

Theron tried to laugh, but his face showed that he was obviously shaken, "No. No it can't be. You're wrong!" He drew a hunters knife from its sheath strapped to his back, and dug it in just below Dominic's rib cage. Dominic let go and fought for handle of the knife buried in his chest. Theron pulled across on the knife, guiding Dominic into Edan's line of fire. He twisted and wriggled the serated blade as Dominic tried to cry out, paralyzed by the unbearable pain. Nothing above a faint gasp left his lips. Theron dragged Dominic towards the front door, making sure to keep him in front of Edan to protect himself. Theron tugged out his knife and Dominic collapsed to the floor, blood soaking around the tear in the shirt as he tried to cup his hands over the wound. The blood was already starting to coagulate, but it was going to be a while until it fully healed. Theron flew down the stairs and Edan leaped over Dominic to chase after him.

"Stop! " Dominic called out, doubled over himself on the floor, "Check on Kaily first!"

Dominic was right, Kaily could be in danger. He opened the door and ran inside, gun aimed forward in case somebody was already there. He scanned the area to make sure it was clear then ran into the bedroom, to find Kaily talking with somebody. He quickly hid the gun in his inside coat pocket, and not a moment too soon.

Kaily saw him out of the corner of her eye, "Hey!"

She turned back to the person she was talking to, introducing Edan to him, "This is the guy I was talking to you about. He stayed back with me when I found out I had been robbed."

The man looked him up and down, "Edan, right? Nice to meet you. From what I've heard from Kaily, you're quite the gentleman."

"This is Mr. Roberts, my landlord," Kaily said.

"Ohhh," he laughed waving it off, "you can call me Ken. I've been trying to get Kaily to call me by my first name, but she's just too polite for her own good." Ken was a short man in an oxford shirt with a blue sweater vest and khaki pants. He was balding, wore round, thin rimmed glasses, and sported a full mustach. Just an unassuming, typical landlord.

"You look a little out of breath. Something happen?" Ken asked.

"Hmm? Uh, no. Just ran up the stairs. I'm a little out of shape."

"Heh, it's only two flights. Need to put in some exercise, son."

"I'll consider it," Edan joked.

Edan and Kaily walked with him out into the hallway.

"Looks like we're all set, Kaily. I'll call for somebody to come and fix the window."

"Thank you, Mr. Roberts, I'll pay for any—"

"Hey hey hey, don't worry about it! I'll take care of it. You couldn't help that somebody broke into your apartment. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Oh, thank you!" Kaily hugged Ken.

"Well, kids, gotta get back to work," he turned around and spotted a stain on the hallway floor.

"And what's this?" He walked over to the trail of dark red spots leading up to Dominic's door.

Kaily's eyes widened and she looked over to Edan for answers as Ken was occupied with the stain. He avoided her stare.

"I don't know, "Edan said, replying to Ken's question, "I'm sure it's nothing really. Just—"

"Nothing or not, I need find out what's going on. It's my responsibility to look after this apartment."

He raised a hand to knock on the door and Edan tried to stop him but it was too late. The shit had just hit the fan.


	12. Killer Instinct

Hey guys. I'm looking for a beta reader. Somebody to help me with grammar and sentence structure. I'd like A LOT of help on flow and I want somebody to teach me how to do dialogue effectively. You don't have to worry about research, seeing as how alot of my story challenges the popular view of the vampire. However, it would be good to have a second pair of eyes to catch errors in continuity. Secondly...you guys are quiet!! I feel like I'm writing to robots. I'm happy that people are reading my story, but I want to know what YOU think. Review me, message me, email me, IM me...ANYTHING. I want to hear from you.

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Chapter 12

Killer Instinct

A moment later, Dominic answered the door. He seemed fine and he was wearing his cooking apron. "Oh, hey Mr. Roberts. How you doing?"

"Just fine, Dom. I was just wanting to check with you about the stains out here in the hall and…" he looked inside, "is that an even bigger stain? Dominic, what's going on?"

Dominic looked down at it casually, "Oh. Red food coloring. I went grocery shopping a few hours ago and bought some ingredients for red velvet cake. Turned out one of the food coloring bottles was damaged and it leaked all over the floor."

"Red velvet, eh?" Ken asked.

"Yeah, would you like some? Just finished putting on the icing." He walked over to the kitchen table and picked up a freshly made cake. He tried to hold back any signs of pain that might show up on his face. As he walked back, Ken waved a hand of dismissal.

"I'd love to, but I think I'll pass. I just ate."

"Ah, maybe some other time. About the stains, don't worry about it. I have some stuff that can take that right out."

"Really?" Ken asked in amazement, "Well you'll have to tell me where to find it. I need to go over this whole building with a spot stain removal some time."

"No probl_em_," Dominic said, wincing on the last syllable. Red began to seep through Dominic's apron.

Edan had to think of something quick. He slapped his forehead.

"Ah crap," Kaily and Ken both looked over at him.

"What?" Kaily asked.

"That movie! It was due last night." They had only rented it last night, but Ken didn't know that. All they needed was for him to look the other way.

Kaily picked up on the cues, "Oh geez, you're right."

Dominic took advantage of the distraction to tip the cake onto himself. It was painful, but it effectively covered the blood soaking through.

"Ah dammit," he said, "what a waste. I just finished that!"

"Looks like you're all butterfingers today, Dom," Ken joked, "Here, let me help you with that."

"No no, it's fine. I can take care of it."

"Are you sure?" Ken checked.

"Yeah, you go ahead and make that call for Kaily and I'll get right on this."

"Alright, sounds good to me. I'll catch you guys later."

They all waved goodbye to Ken as he descended the stairs. As soon as he was out of sight, they all walked back into Dominic's apartment and quickly shut the door.

"You saved our asses again, Edan," Dominic thanked him weakly.

"I'm in this with you now. I've got your back."

"Glad to hear it…." His voice was trailing off, "Glad to hear it."

Dominic coughed out some blood and suddenly collapsed to the floor.

"Dominic!" Kaily screamed. Edan ran to the freezer and grabbed a bag of O negative then rummaged through his kitchen drawers for something to cut it open. Silverware clattered as he pulled out each drawer until he finally came across a pair of scissors. Kaily was cradling Dominic's head as he rushed back, "Kaily, you're going to have to excuse me for a second." Edan knelt next to Dominic, cut a corner of the bag, and raised his head as the bag was held up to his mouth. There was no response. Edan's heart paced and Kaily held back tears, trying to bar out any thoughts of her best friend dying right in front of her. They had been together for too long for him to be ripped away from her now. Edan wasn't going to give up, though; he couldn't revive Dominic, but he could treat the wound. He lifted the apron up to examine the wound. It had stopped healing, but not before reducing the bleeding down to a slow trickle. "Kaily, listen, I need you to run into his room and look for a bottle of peroxide and some clean shirts. We're going to have to treat his wound before he loses any more blood." Kaily got up and ran as fast as she could into Dominic's bedroom. Edan focused his attention back on Dominic in the meantime, still holding the bag up to his mouth. Blood was bubbling from the wound, which meant that the knife had penetrated into one of his lungs, but it also meant that Dominic was still alive since he was still breathing.

Dominic still wasn't taking the blood so Edan decided to take matters into his own hands. With his thumb and forefinger he pried open Dominic's mouth, taking good care to watch out for his sharp canines, and let the blood trickle down his throat. Dominic snapped back to consciousness and dug his teeth into the bag, almost taking off Edan's hand in the process. He tore the bag away, retreated to the far side of the room, and hunched over it with his back to Edan like a feral animal in the middle of a feed. Edan slowly got up and approached Dominic with a cautious hand extended, "Dominic? Are you okay? Take it easy, we've got plenty more so just take your time…alright? Dom?" He could hear the ravenous gulping and slurping as Dominic attacked the bag. Then it stopped and Dominic threw the empty bag away. He sniffed, looking around the room and stopped when he sighted Edan. Dominic's eyes were no longer that brilliant blue that cut through him like a razor. The pupils of his bloodshot eyes were dilated to an inhuman size and the irises were so bright they were almost white themselves, with red etched into the edges. Blood dribbled from his mouth and dripped from his chin, his sharp white teeth glinting as he let out a foreboding hiss. He lunged at Edan, who dodged out of the way and sprinted for the couch to find some cover. Before could reach the couch, Dominic grabbed him by the leg and he fell with a resounding thud. Edan turned over on his back and repeatedly kicked out, catching Dominic in the jaw a few times. Dominic caught his foot and twisted, sending a sharp pain that started in his ankle and jolted through his leg until it wrenched inside his gut. Edan screamed out in pain, but it was cut short as a hand wrapped around his throat so tight that the fingers began to close off his airway.

Edan's vision zoomed out and Dominic seemed to fly farther away as the hand around his throat drew in closer. The edges of his sight began to darken and go fuzzy as they closed in, and pretty soon everything was so blurry that he could only make out basic shapes. Sounds echoed in his head, droning on and on into incoherence, and he began to forget where he was and what exactly was happening. He just felt like letting go and relaxing. Then something flashed across his impaired vision. Air rushed back into his lungs and his faculties restored to their full selves. He coughed, massaging his throat, and looking around to regain his bearings. Kaily was on top of Dominic, pinning him face down with her knee and twisting an arm behind his back. Her eyes were the color of ice and she had become a completely different person, commanding…and lethal, "Dominic! Calm down! It's me, Kaily!" Dominic was breathing in and out violently, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His breaths got deeper and slower as she talked him down, trying to help him regain his composure. Her eyes faded back to green, and loosened her hold a little, "That's right, dear. Calm down. You lost control for a minute, there. You almost killed Edan. He saved you, remember? We were trying to feed you some blood and treat to your wounds. Now, I'm going to let go, alright? Just take it easy…" She slowly lifted her knee off of Dominic, released his arm, and backed away.

Dominic rose to his knees and wrapped his arms around himself, rocking back and forth. Kaily knelt beside him and put an arm around his shoulder. As she placed a hand atop is head and ran her fingers through his hair, she comforted him, "Shhhh… It's alright now. It's all over. I'm sure Edan forgives you. Is that right, Edan?"

"Uh, yes…" Edan replied, still trying to recover from the scuffle. He lifted himself off the ground and stumbled over to the counter to hold himself up.He almost fell over again as the blood rushed to his head from standing up too quickly. He should have given himself some more time, especially after coming so close to passing out just a few moments before.

Kaily made sure once more that Dominic was going to be alright before getting up and walking over to Edan. "How about you? Are you okay, Edan?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied with a raspy throat, "I think he twisted my ankle, but it's nothing too bad."

"I'm really sorry about that. He lost too much blood, so his instincts kicked in and he lost control. He didn't know what he was doing."

"It's alright. I didn't receive any lasting injuries….God, that was scary, though! Thank you for saving me; a few more seconds and I would have been dead."

"You don't need to thank me at all. Now, sit down over there on the couch and take some weight off that ankle. I'll get some ice for it. Be right back."

As she went through the freezer, Edan limped towards the couch and plopped down. Dominic was still rocking back and forth, trying to recuperate from his trauma. Kaily came back with a bag of ice in hand and placed it over Edan's swollen ankle.

"Is Dominic going to be alright?" he asked.

"Yes, he'll be fine. He just needs some time to wind down get some sleep."

She walked over to Dominic and helped him up. "I'll be right back," she said to Edan as she helped Dominic to his bedroom. As she came back out, she looked over at Edan, "Now you, too. Get some rest while I clean up this mess. It's been a rough day for both of you so far, and you need to stay off that ankle anyway." Edan didn't put up a fight. Within five minutes, he was sound asleep.


	13. Geoff

Chapter 13

**Geoff**

Edan was jolted awake by the ringing phone in his pocket. He tore it out and answered before he woke anybody up.

"Hello?"

"Edan! It's Geoff. Where you been, man? I haven't seen you in days."

"Sorry, I've been busy."

"Sure you have…you sound kind of sleepy. Where you at? I bet you're at Kaily's gettin' busy, eh?**"**

"No. Actually, I'm over at her friend Dominic's."

"Oh, I didn't know that was your preference…"

"Huh?" Edan finally caught on, "Oh, bull shit! You know what I fucking meant!"

Geoff laughed, "So, I was calling to see if you'd like to hang out some time. It's been boring as hell lately."

"Y'know what? As soon as I finish taking a shower, we'll do something. I need a break after all the crap I've been through these past couple of days."

"Awesome. Call me when you're ready, dude."

"Sure thing." _Beep._

Edan got up and looked around for Kaily, but she was gone. The blinds were drawn over the windows and it was dark in the room. He walked over to the sliding door and looked outside to find that the sun had almost completely set over the horizon. It had to be about 7 or 8 in the evening now. He walked into Dominic's room and found him sitting up in bed watching TV.

"Ah, you're up. How's your ankle?" Dominic asked.

"Doing pretty good. I won't even notice it in a couple of days."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. When a vampire's that close to death, the only think he can think about is how to survive."

"It's alright, man, I forgive you. Have you seen Kaily around?"

"She went out with Ken to get a new window. You need something?"

"Nah, I was just gonna tell her that I'm going to go home and hang out with my friend Geoff."

"Alright," Dominic nodded, " I'll make sure she gets the message. Take care, man."

"You too."

Edan got home and jumped into the shower, letting the hot water run over his head and trickle down his shoulders. It penetrated into his muscles and released all the stress and knots that had built up over the past week. He took a deep breath and let the steam rise back up and clear his sinuses, closing his eyes and propping himself up against the side of the shower. Boy, what had he gotten himself into? Was he really ready for all this? Everything had pulled through okay so far, but things won't stay that way forever. Dom or Kaily will most likely get hurt again and there won't be any blood around. Edan didn't think he could risk offering his own blood again. He let the shower wash away all his anxiety, then dried off and got dressed. As soon as he was ready, he called Geoff.

"Yo."

"Hey Geoff. Ready when you are."

"Alright man. You're place or mine?"

"Eh, I'll meet you at your place," Edan said, " Haven't been over there in a while."

"Sounds cool. Give me a call when you get here." _Beep._

Edan took the elevator down to the lobby and walked down the few blocks to Geoff's apartment. For over fifteen years, Edan and Geoff had never lived more than a handful of blocks away from each other. Growing up, they were constantly mistaken for brothers and, in a sense, they were. At first glance, you wouldn't be able to comprehend how they could ever get along, but in all reality you couldn't find two people who understood each other quite like Edan and Geoff. He knocked on the door and Geoff answered with two long necks in hand.

"What's up, dude?" Geoff asked as he tossed Edan a bottle.

Edan twisted off the cap, "Not much, just taking it easy. Been a long day."

"We can take care of that. Just kick it back and enjoy a few cold ones."

"Just what I need."

Geoff saw Edan limping over to the couch," You okay, man? What happened?"

"Just fell on it wrong, that's all"

"Uh huh…" Geoff said sarcastically, "I'll take your word for it."

"What, you don't believe me?"

"Well, the hand marks all over your neck tell me otherwise."

Edan put a hand up to his throat, remembering the scuffle with Dominic from earlier that day.

"You get into a fight?" Edan didn't answer. "You can tell me, man, I got your back. Nobody messes with my bro."

"Nah, it's alright. It was Dominic; he got a little drunk and we got into a fight. We're cool though."

Geoff took another sip of beer, "You look like that's been the least of your problems. Wanna talk about it?"

"What you talking about? Things are fine."

"Bullshit," Geoff said as he walked over to the sliding door. He opened it up and beckoned to Edan, "C'mon out here."

Edan stepped outside and rested against the railing. Geoff took out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to him.

"Nah, I'm good."

"Suit yourself," Geoff said as he lit one, "So, what's on your mind?"

"Psh. Everything, man. I feel like I've stumbled upon something I shouldn't have and now I'm in over my head."

"I hear you, man. It's not like we ask for this stuff. Shit just happens."

"I know, right? But why is it always me? Why can't I find a normal girl for once?"

"Oh, so it's Kaily, eh?"

"What? Oh, no I didn't mean—"

"Oh, yes, you did. You know you did. Don't try to cover it up."

"Alright," Edan gave in," so maybe things with Kaily are kind of complicated."

"Complicated in what way?"

"I don't know…she has this…history. There's just so much more to her than meets the eye and I don't know if I'm able to handle that kind of stuff. You just don't go out looking for girls like her."

"Well," Geoff said as he leaned over the railing and looked over at Edan, "Maybe this girl IS the one you're looking for."

"What do you mean?"

"Edan? How long have we known each other?"

"I dunno… since middle school?"

"Damn straight. I know you, which means I know when to call bullshit with you. I'm calling it right now."

"Bullshit on what?"

"Everything you've said so far. I can see all over your face that you don't believe a word of what you've been saying. All the shit you've been through so far because of her….you'd do it again if it came down to it. "

"Well, maybe so far, but it's all gonna build up on me pretty soon and I'm going to buckle under the pressure."

"I can't tell you what to do, man. I'm just saying, girls like that come with a price. You've got to figure it out for yourself whether she's worth it or not."

They both stood there drinking their beers looking out onto the city below, watching the cop lights flash in the distance and the random assortment of lights riddling the office buildings. Something was on both their minds; something they both wanted to talk about, but could not convey with words…so they didn't. Just being there was enough to get the idea across. It didn't matter what it was, they both still respected each other for it and left it at that.

"So enough about your shit," Geoff interrupted, "What about me?"

"What _about_ you?"

"Don't you want to know how my day's gone?"

"No. Not really, but go ahead if it makes you feel better," Edan joked.

"Fine. I think I will, douche. That girl from the club? Kicked her to the curb."

"How come?"

"She was robbing me for all I was worth, man. That girl was high maintenance."

"Ah, so what you mean by 'kicking her to the curb' is she sucked you dry then broke up with you."

"That bitch had it comin'," Geoff said as he finished off his beer.

"So how you gonna pay for the rent this month?"

"I dunno, man. I'll find a way. Always do."

Edan took out his wallet and pulled out a few hundreds.

"What're you doing?" Geoff asked.

"I'm helping you out."

"No, dude. Put it back. I'm not taking it. I don't need your money."

"I beg to differ," Edan insisted, "It's on me. I don't want to see you on the streets."

"We're friends, man. I'm not going to leech off of you."

"You're not. Just take the money."

Geoff sighed and snatched the money out of his hands, pointing a warning finger, "Alright, but I'm paying you back as soon as I can. I don't like owing money."

"I trust you."

Edan and Geoff walked back in and slumped on the couch. Geoff grabbed the remote and turned on the TV only to find that it was ten and the local news was on. He turned to Edan.

"So when you going to introduce me to Kaily?"

"I don't think I should. You might give her ideas."

"Pfft, ideas. Man, as soon as I'm done with her, you won't be able to stand her. Now tell me, for real this time."

"Alright, if you really want to see her, we could all go do something tomorrow night."

"That's all I'm asking for, man."

They continued watching T.V. for a few more moments, but then Edan let out a yawn, "I think I better be heading on home."

"Stay safe, bro."

Edan took heed and made sure to stay alert the whole way home.


	14. O'Connors'

Chapter 14

O'Connors'

Thursday afternoon. When Edan got off of work that evening, he called up Kaily.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Kaily, it's Edan. Are you busy tonight?"

"Not a bit, why?"

"My friend, Geoff, wanted to meet you so I thought we'd all go out for a bite to eat and then walk around downtown."

"That sounds fun. What time are you thinking about doing this?"

"Whenever you're ready. I'll call Geoff while you get ready and then we can decide on where we want to go."

"Okay, call you back in about thirty."

"Alright, bye." _Beep_

Edan called up Geoff and told him to come over to his place. About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Geoff invites himself in.

"So what's the point of knocking if you're not going to wait for me to answer the door?"

"I knock because it's good manners," Geoff replied.

"Manners? What about you barging in?"

"How about we just say I knocked to give you fair warning and leave it at that?"

"Eh, agreed. So where you feeling like eating tonight?"

"Don't know," Geoff shrugged, "nothing too fancy."

"Yeah, they wouldn't be able to fathom your idea of manners anyway."

"Quit your bitchin'."

A few minutes later, Kaily called back.

"Okay, all set."

"Good. Geoff doesn't really mind where we go as long as it isn't too fancy and I chose last time, so you can have this one."

"Hmmm….well, there's an Irish bar and grill within walking distance of my place if you want to meet me at my place first."

Edan talked to Geoff about it, "Sounds good to Geoff and me. We'll meet you down in the foyer."

"Okay, see you then." _Beep_

Geoff hitched a ride with Edan and they drove down to Kaily's apartment. Kaily walked out to meet them and Edan started with the introductions.

"Hi Kaily. This is Geoff. He's been my best friend since I was about twelve."

"Hello, nice to meet you," Geoff said as he held out a hand to shake hers.

She bypassed his extended hand and proceeded to hug him.

"You can drop the act,Geoff," she told Edan

"What are you talking about?" Geoff asked sheepishly, going red in the cheeks.

"So where is this bar at?" Edan interrupted, "I'm hungry."

"Oh, follow me. It's just a few blocks down in this direction."

They walked into a dark building with smoke swirling around the fans and television screens scattered throughout, playing either soccer or football. There was a drone of voices, high and low pitched, meshed together with lots of laughter and clinking of silverware against plates. The bartender whistled at them to get their attention. "Ay, no need to wait for a host. Grab a seat and I'll wave down a waiter for you'"

They grabbed a table in the corner and Geoff commented to Kaily, "Wow, I like this place. You come here often?"

"Yeah, I know the owners. The bartender up front is the man in charge. He and his family came from Dublin and they set up this place. I've been coming since they started running the place."

"That's cool. I'll definitely be coming back to visit again."

The waiter showed up with a small platter of buttered cheese bread. "Here you go," she said as she looked over and spotted Kaily, "Hey, Kaily. Who are your friends?"

"Rhianna, meet Edan and Geoff. I met Edan at the Scarlet and Black and he wanted me to meet his best friend Geoff so we decided to go out for dinner."

Rhianna tucked her tray under her arm and shook their hands. "Nice to meet you two. Is this your first time here at O'Connors'?"

"Yeah, is there anything you recommend for somebody who wants to try out the culture?" Edan asked.

"Well there's Shep Pie, Bacon and Cabbage, Colcannon….."

"Actually, I think I know what I want," Geoff interjected.

"Go for it," she said as she got her pen and pad ready.

" I want a pitcher of Guinness and your best burger. Make it how you like it."

"What?" Edan cried, "You come to an Irish restaurant and you just get a plain old burger?"

"Actually, that sounds pretty Irish to me," Rhianna replied, " That's what Irish cuisine is: meat and potatoes…and lots of alcohol."

"Huh…well I'll try out the Shepherd's Pie and I'll halve the pitcher with Geoff."

"And I'll have Potatoes and Scallops. Split the pitcher three ways."

Geoff whistled," Don't let this one go, Edan. She's a keeper."

"We're not together ye--"

"What? What were you going to say? 'Yet'?" He jostled Edan around, "Did you hear it, too, Kaily?"

"Geoff, you're an ass," Edan said as he blushed. Kaily just smiled, holding back a laugh as she ate a slice of cheese bread.

Rhianna left to put in their order and Geoff told his story about growing up with Edan, with his own twist on it of course. This meant more embarrassment for Edan. If it continued much longer, he'd be finishing the pitcher himself. Geoff took to Kaily really fast. He felt right at home cracking jokes, crude humor and all, and picked up speed from there. Usually, Geoff was a little reserved around girls that Edan was with. It was never his intention to scare them off. Somehow he knew that Kaily could handle it, however. Edan was glad that they got along well. Not many women could handle Geoff at full steam.

Rhianna came out with their orders and another round of cheese bread. It was all delicious. They sampled a bite from each others' dinner and not much longer their plates were bare. Geoff rang up another pitcher of Guinness and Edan shared a Sherry Trifle with Kaily. They sat there and talked for several hours about anything and everything. They were having the time of their lives. After a while, Edan looked around and the restaurant was almost empty with the exception of a few tables and one or two people at the bar. Rhianna and her father were wiping off tables and setting the chairs on them. He took a look at his watch and found that it was almost eleven. "Hey, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I've got to work in the morning."

"Yeah, me too," Kaily said.

"And I guess I could make an effort to show up to work on time, for once," Geoff added.

They all paid out and made sure to leave a big tip. As they were passing the bar on the way out, Edan spotted somebody hunched over a shot of whiskey. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Kaily asked.

He nodded his head in the direction of the man he saw. "Was that the guy that broke in to your apartment?"

A grave expression of stoicism spread across her face, "Yes. He has that same stench as the night he attacked me."

"That's what I thought. It's Theron."

"Say what?" Geoff interrupted, "He broke into your place? Then why haven't you reported him?"

"Because I wasn't supposed to be there that night," Kaily said, "The police think that Dominic was the only person at the scene."

"I'm not going to ask. Man, you have to do something, Edan."

"I wish I could, but there's a lot tied in with this."

"Shit, I can show you how to deal with fuckers like him," he said as he popped his knuckles and swaggered over to Theron. Edan grabbed Geoff by the shoulder and pulled him back.

"What the fuck are you doing? That man's dangerous. You can't just expect to walk up to him and kick his ass. He might be armed."

"I don't GIVE A DAMN!" Geoff yelled. Everybody left in the bar was looking at them now.

Edan looked the other way so Theron couldn't point out his face. He growled through his teeth, muttering under his breath to Geoff, "You're digging us deeper and deeper into a hole, Geoff. Believe me, there's nobody who wants to kick his ass more than we do. We're working on putting that shit-head behind bars, so don't fuck it all up now. We need to get the hell out of here or Kaily might get hurt."

Geoff took a deep breath, "Sorry. I lost it for a sec. Let's go."

They snuck out of the bar without making a scene. None of them spoke a word as they walked down the street. As they were about to turn the corner, somebody from the entryway of the restaurant called from behind in a slurred voice, "Hey!" Edan turned around to see who was calling him. It was Theron.


	15. Expire

_Howdy. Sorry the updates are taking longer and longer lately. My laptop monitor died and I haven't been able to write much since. In about 3 weeks things will be back to normal. Thanks for being patient guys. _

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Chapter 15

Expire

Edan turned completely around to face him. Theron's eyes were half closed and his arms hung to his side. It looked like he was sober enough to know what was going on, but the effects of alcohol were apparent in the way he stood. He stuck a hand in his coat and pulled out a gun. "Shit. GO!" Edan yelled. They all turned to run and Theron ran after them. As they turned the corner, Theron took a few pot shots. "What the fuck is he doing with a gun and what the hell did you do to piss him off?!" Geoff screamed at Edan. A bullet shot through Kaily's right shoulder and she fell to the ground. Geoff and Edan stopped and looked back. Edan tossed Geoff his keys and phone, "Keep going! Call Dominic and get my car. I'll go back for her." Geoff hesitated, but proceeded to run back to the apartment. Now wasn't the time for him to ask questions.

Edan charged past Kaily and straight at Theron, screaming the whole way. Theron stopped and raised his gun, aiming straight at him….and then a blur of red and white flashed in front of him. Kaily was on top of Theron, choking him as she knocked the gun out of his hand. She hissed as she barred her teeth. Light reflected off her eyes like a cat in the dark and she clawed at his face. Theron tried to guard his face, and she tore the flesh from his forearm. With his other arm, he reached back into his coat and pulled out a wooden stake. He lodged it into her chest and she let out a gasp. Blood dribbled down his hand as it gushed out of her wound. He kicked her off and dragged himself back onto his feet. "KAILY!!!" Edan screamed as he charged Theron. He threw a wild haymaker with his right and missed, then followed it up with a left uppercut. Theron sidestepped, leaving Edan's inside wide open for attack. He closed in and gave him a crushing elbow smash to his ribs.

Edan dropped down to one knee and held his side, but attempted to throw another punch. Theron caught him by the wrist from the outside and smashed in his elbow, dislocating it. Pain shot up his arm and engulfed the left side of his neck and face. His eyesight faded to white and his ears started to ring. His breathing got hard and he fought to stay conscious. He tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't cooperate. All he could do was watch with hazy vision as Theron walked back toward Kaily's twitching body lying in a pool of blood.

Theron took his time as he took off his coat, unveiling all his concealed weaponry. There was an empty holster and two more wooden stakes strapped to his chest. On his back was his sheathed hunting knife. He rolled up his sleeves and sauntered over to the discarded gun, stepping over Kaily's crumpled body. He picked it up then walked back to Kaily and kicked her shoulder so she lied flat on her back. He knelt down next to her and pulled out a necklace of rosary beads.

"God of power and mercy, you have made death itself the gateway to eternal life. Look with love on our dying sister, and make her one with Your Son in His suffering and death, that, sealed with the blood of Christ, she may come before you free from sin. Amen."

He kissed the beads, put them to his forehead, then stood up. He tossed them onto her like discarded trash and shot her point blank in the chest. Edan watched helplessly as he pulled the trigger again and again. One by one the bullets perforated her chest. Her body jolted from the impact and blood began to gush from her mouth. She tried to let out a scream, but it was diminished to a gurgle as she coughed out more blood. Her eyes rolled back in their sockets as she stopped wincing in pain and resembled more and more a lifeless corpse.

Edan bit his lip until blood trickled down his chin and he pummeled the asphalt with his bare fist. Why couldn't he move? Why wasn't he strong enough? He didn't even stand a chance against Theron, not like Dominic. He had offered no protection to Kaily. He had only slowed Theron down for as long as it took to dodge his punches and toss him aside. He gritted his teeth and propped himself up with his one good arm. His head pulsed with an unbearable pressure and his ribs felt like they were grinding against each other as he stood up, pushing off with his legs and straining his neck and back to keep his balance. He ran into an impenetrable wall of pain, but he wasn't going to let that stop him anymore. It didn't matter. Pain or not, he was going to kill Theron for what he had just done. He stammered, step by step, wandering towards Theron's general direction. His vision narrowed, tunneling until all he saw was what was directly in front of him. Theron continued to perforate Kaily's upper torso until it was nothing but a bloody pulp.

Edan had managed to get close enough to Theron, his uneven footsteps camoflauged by the barrage of gunshots. Edan lunged forward and yanked the hunting knife from its sheath strapped to Theron's back. Theron turned around and was stood face to face with him. Without a word he slowly raised his gun, resting the end of the barrel on Edan's forehead. The tip seared into his forehead and was quelled only by the sweat that dripped from his brow. So this was it. No cathartic ending, no happily ever after. His knees shook violently, but he stood his ground and stared straight into Theron's souless eyes. No, not eyes but hollow pits. It was no longer Theron, but Death itself. Edan couldn't help but smirk, and Death replied with a chattering grin, "Are you prepared?" Edan smirked.

"My flesh is afraid, but I am not," he muttered under heavy breaths.

Death pulled the trigger. Edan's heart stopped, trying to wrench itself out of his chest, his ears burst with a ringing so loud it tugged at his temples and filled his sinuses, his breath shot out of his lungs so hard that he choked, and his vision exploded with a white so bright and blinding that he had almost forgotten what it was like to see. And then shapes started to form. They bled out color that mingled with each other, but the edges soon sharpened and Theron materialized, still holding the gun to his head. _Click._ The clip was empty.

Edan brought the knife up and slashed at the base of Theron's arm, causing him to drop the gun instantly. As Theron clasped a hand around the gash, Edan brought back the knife and with an upward jab, dug the blade deep into his solar plexus. Theron instantly exhaled and blood bubbled around the wound. Edan thrust down with the knife and ripped it out just as it had passed the navel. Blood spewed out like a fountain and his entrails plopped in front of him as he dropped to his knees. Edan towered in front of him and said, "Not a prayer exists that could bring you salvation…" He brought up the knife again and drove it into his temple. Red seeped through the whites of his eyes as Edan broke off the handle with a resounding _twang_, leaving the blade buried deep in his head, "…but pray to God I don't find you in hell." He watched as Theron let out a long breath and his muscles relaxed, broken by the occasional twitch.


	16. Crossing the Bar

Chapter 16  
Crossing the Bar

Edan's trance was broken by the weak coughing coming from Kaily. She was still alive! He ran to her side and squeezed her hand. "Kaily! Stay with me! This is Edan." With a glazed over look, she squinted at him and terror began to take a hold of her.  
"Shhh... it's alright," he said, "Take a deep breath."  
Her ragged breathing sped up, but her crippled body caused her to choke not soon after and she coughed up more blood. Where was Dominic? Why wasn't he here yet? She needed blood immediately and lots of it.

_No time left, _he told himself. He dropped the knife and grabbed the bladed end, gripping tighter and tighter until the edge dug deep into his palm and blood dribbled down his fingers. He held his bleeding hand over her mouth and dripped some onto her lips. She clenched her mouth shut and shook her head. She didn't know where she was or what he was doing, she was just scared. "C'mon!" he screamed, "Don't do this to me now!" She began to panic even more and then…a long, drawn out breath. Her eyes closed and there was a deathly calm. Edan's lungs stopped working and his heart sank into his stomach, leaving a vast vacuum in his chest. He couldn't accept it, he wouldn't accept it. Everything went blurry and he choked on his tears. He bent down, still holding her hand, and kissed her on the forehead. A bloody imprint from his bitten lip was left. He begged with a weak voice, "Please. Please don't go. Not now." He cried over her.

Then Kaily's eyes flashed open, blue eyes with a red ring around them, and she attacked. She drove her teeth deep into the base of Edan's neck. Her teeth were gripped on like a vice and she wouldn't let go, no matter how much he fought to get free. The sting was unbearable and his face involuntarily clenched up, arresting all motor control. His head filled with a dull but intense pain trying to burst its way out of his skull. He tried to push her away, but with each failed attempt he got weaker and weaker. This time she wasn't just gulping in his blood, she was ravenously sucking him dry. She had no control over her faculties, just a primal urge to feed. The sting grew weaker, and he lost all feeling in his arms and legs. His gut wrenched around as the blood that was left rushed to his core. Again, his ears rang and his eyesight tunneled in. He broke out in a cold sweat yet, at the same time, felt stuffy.

Light shined upon her face and their shadow was cast upon the street, stretching out twenty feet. The light then disappeared and he heard a car door slam. "Kaily!" he heard Dominic call out. "What the hell is she doing!?" Geoff screamed, "Get the fuck away from him!" Kaily's fangs were ripped out of the side of Edan's neck as Dominic tore her away. As he struggled to keep her down, he looked at Edan, "Where's Theron?" Edan raised a weak shaking hand, pointing to Theron's dead corpse. Geoff ran to Edan and propped his head up. Geoff tore off his jacket and tried to stop or at least stifle Edan's profuse bleeding. Edan's neck was pumping out a steady flow of blood and he fought to stay awake. He ducked in and out of consciousness and frequently forgot where he was. His eyes grew heavy and at last, he gave in. He let out one last sigh and embraced the cold nothing that awaited him. One last breath and then release. Breathing was for the living.


	17. His Immortal Coil

_Howdy. I should be moving back into my dorm this Thursday, which means...more frequent posts. Yay, I guess. Depends on if you like this story or not. Anywho, enjoy the chapter._ P.S. Leave reviews, guys. I like to know what you think.

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Chapter 17

His Immortal Coil

The faint echo of disparate, raspy breathing filled the dark and dreary void that Edan woke up in. His head swirled round and round, abated only by planting his hands firmly at his side to secure which way was down. He rolled over to one side and felt the cold, hard floor against his cheek. It sucked away the heat from his body and left him feeling empty and bereft. The urge was so strong that he almost felt like curling up into fetal position and crying. He didn't know why, he just wanted to cry. He dragged his fingers across the floor, clawing at the rough and rigid surface. His pathetic whimpers mocked him, amplified by the unseen walls they bounced off of. He tossed and reeled as a sudden fit of hysteria overtook him, quashing his petty notions of helplessness. He tore at his ragged shirt, scratching feverishly at his chest trying to get at an unbearable itching that resided inside his husk of a body like cicadas chittering within the empty hollow of a rotted oak. His fingers flared with pain and he felt the tattered bandages that wrapped around his hands. He held them in front of his face and was still unable to see them in the pitch black of his chilling tomb. He dropped his arms lifelessly to the floor and gave in to hopelessness again.

Edan lay there with resigned apathy for what seemed like forever. He couldn't remember what happened or how he ended up in that blind pit but it wasn't cause for his concern anymore. He spaced out into nothing, lost and entranced as his breathing droned on in the back of his head like a dull metronome. Breathe in. In seeped the cold and musty air that filled his nasal passages with the poignant bite of dank catacombs. Breathe out. The restlessness escaped from his lips and lowered the rate of his beating heart. Minutes or hours passed as he lie in a state of semi-sleep and let his arm go numb from the position he was in. He broke his spell of lethargy when he was confronted by a voice from inside of him. _Why have I given up already? I haven't even begun to stand up._ He tried to justify himself with excuses, but he wouldn't have any of it. _Get up, Edan, _he told himself,_You can rest when you finish your fight. _He rolled over on his side and bright little flashes flittered across his vision as the blood rushed to his head.

Edan felt unbalanced as he couldn't see where he was going and blindly stumbled with arms extended until he came across a wall. He could feel the loose gravel and pebbles that filled the cracks and he bumped his head on the unyielding, craggy surface. He had found the outer boundaries of his prison. He felt his way across the wall, following it down hoping to find where it met another wall. Instead, he found a faint discoloration in the distance. Color! He could see again! He scrambled over to the telltale signs of light and found an exit. It was nighttime and the starlight from a moonless sky reflected off the stone walls. He slowly realized that he had woken up deep within a cave. He looked out and followed his eyes down the rocky side to find himself near the bottom of a mountain. Not far away from the foot of the mountain was a thick forest. From left to right, a dark wall of trees hugged the base of the mountain. _No choice but to pass through the forest, _he told himself.

As Edan walked down the rocky slope, he noticed his ragged clothing with earthy tones. His hands were cracked and bloody and a dark red was caked around his fingernails. He suddenly realized how thirsty he was and noticed the tangy, metallic aftertaste in his mouth. As he crossed the tree line, he looked up to survey the treetops. The light barely penetrated through the thick firs and evergreens. He trudged through a broken and neglected path and listened to the crunch of the decaying pinecones under his feet. A cool breeze blew across the tops of trees and pine needles fell all around him.

A soft cry of a woman floated in the air, and Edan followed it to an opening in the forest. He found the woman curled up on the dirt floor, somewhere within early adulthood to skirting on middle age. He wasn't really able to make out her features in the faint light. He did, however, spot the revolver that lay at his feet. He picked it up and noticed the intricate, ivory handle and the elaborate etchings on the polished metal. He felt the weight of it as he hefted it in his hand. He eyed the woman and walked toward her until he stood right over her. In her hand she held the stump of a candle, its wick still bearing a dull, red glow, protecting it like a new born baby. She clung to his legs half-heartedly, writhing and wriggling, but he kicked her away. He raised the gun and looked into her empty eyes. The pupils were clouded over, but somehow she was still able to see him. With stoic silence he shot her in the head, and continued to pull the trigger until long after she was dead. One by one, the six empty shells fell to the ground with a light _thump_. Wisps of smoke left the barrel and smelt of burnt oil. It tickled the back of his throat.

Edan then sat next to her lifeless body, huddled up and hugging his knees. Her milky white eyes were still wide open and staring right at him, still searching. Blood trickled down the corners of her eyes and the side of her nose. Her long, spidery hair mingled with the blood as it stuck to her face. He didn't know what came over him, the cold blooded murder dealt by his own hands. He buried his face in his hands as regret and disbelief tore at him and fought for a foothold against the boiling, undirected rage that also persisted inside of him. All these emotions that struggled to prevail inside of him drove him nearly to insanity. He didn't care anymore; whichever won was none of his concern. He fell back and flung his arms out, closing his arms and trying to let go of everything that swirled around in his head. He listened to the silent roar of the rustling leaves in the trees and then felt the gentle, warm breeze across his face. The chirping of crickets became louder and louder as he finally noticed the world around him. Finally, peace and serenity, then _click_. He opened his eyes and looked down the barrel of an ornate pistol. Behind it stood the silhouette of a woman, two white spheres looking right at him. In her other hand she held a molten wax stump with a smoldered out wick. She pulled the trigger and there was a giant explosion, but instead of a bright flash of light there was nothing at all. All his senses: sight, sound, feeling….they were all suddenly sucked right out of him. For the second time now, Edan died.


	18. Out of the Frying Pan

_So things aren't going as quickly as I initially thought they would, but I took one day out of my busy scchedule to sit down and finish the outline. What this means for you: I will definitely see this story out to the end...and hopefully you will too. I'm really excited about where I'm taking this. What do you guys think of it so far?_

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Chapter 18

**Out of the Frying Pan**

Edan was engulfed by an intense, suffocating heat that singed his arms and legs. The sweat seemed to evaporate from his skin as soon as it appeared. There was a deafening roar that sounded like a train was rushing overhead, accompanied by a thousand stampeding horses. It quickly escalated to an unbearable pain that jolted his eyes awake. He saw nothing but intense, white flames all around him. Was he in Hell? He yelled and again his voice bounced of a nearby wall. He lay on a metallic bed that quickly rose in temperature and Edan rushed to scramble off it. He banged on a nearby wall as hard as he could. It seared his palms and knuckles to pound on the wall, but it soon started to give way. With one last blow, he busted out the wall and it swung out on its hinges.

Edan leaped out, followed by giant tongues of flame desperate to clutch onto him and pull him back in. He found himself in a white room with white cupboards and metal trays and wheeled machinery. He looked back to find a giant furnace with a roaring inferno inside. "What the hell?!" a man yelled from a few feet away. Edan looked up to find a man in light blue scrubs.

"Aaron?" Edan gasped, dumbfounded, "What am—who—WHAT THE FUCK WAS I DOING IN AN OVEN?!?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Aaron said as he tried to settle Edan down, "NOT an oven…it's called an incinerator."

"I don't give a damn what it is! WHY WAS I IN IT!?"

"If you don't stop yelling and calm down, you'll just have to figure it out on your own."

Edan grinded his teeth together, trying to keep his composure.

"Well?" Edan growled.

"Uh….we thought you were dead."

"We? Who's 'we'?"

"Me, Kaily, Domi—"

"Kaily? She's alright?"

"She's doing okay. She still couldn't walk when I saw her, had to wheel her in, but she'll be fine. Boy, I don't know what the hell you guys were up to, but it must have been some pretty hardcore shit."

"Yeah, you could say that," Edan held his head, "So I was dead, huh? God…it sure feels like it…Wait, why didn't you wait to see if I would turn? Kaily drank my blood. Didn't she tell you?"

"Yeah, she did, but when people turn they usually go into a coma. _You_, however, showed no vital signs at all."

"….Oh. How long was I dead?"

"Goin' on forty eight hours."

"Damn," Edan marveled as he stared off into space. He smirked, "Heh, a week ago I would have freaked if somebody told me I had come back from the dead. Now I'm just taking things for face value. So I guess this makes me a vampire."

"Yup yup, complete with the cape and Transylvanian lisp."

"Funny."

He tried to get up but it wasn't long before he received a harsh reminder of his very recent run-in with the incinerator.

"Take it easy, kid. Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you're invincible."

Vampire. That word hit Edan hard. A week ago he was sitting in a dull office cubicle going through the motions, and he was almost completely convinced that if you shot somebody enough times they were supposed to die. Now he wasn't so sure.

"You're lucky that you came to when you did," Aaron said, breaking Edan's reverie, "I had just started up the incinerator. Any longer and your skin tissue would have received irreparable damage. "

"Wouldn't I just be able to heal from it after drinking some blood?"

"Sorry, fire is the kryptonite of vampires. Speaking of blood, you look like you're hungry. _I'd_ sure appreciate some if _I_ had just bust out of a blazing furnace."

"Sounds…uh…tasty, but how are we going to get to it? I don't think that many people would appreciate seeing someone who was dead just a few minutes ago walking down the halls."

Aaron pushed a wheeled stretcher towards Edan, "Better get comfortable."

Aaron wheeled into the blood bank with a body bag and shut the door behind him, making sure to lock it. He walked back over to the stretcher and unzipped the bag. Edan gasped for air, choking as he tried to give Aaron a piece of his mind. "You could have left a little crack open."

"Eh," Aaron replied," it's not like you needed it."

"Like hell I don't."

"Really, you don't. It's more of a luxury now. You can hold your breath for as long as you want, although after a while I guess you could say it wouldn't be so pleasant."

"Well I rather like breathing, thank you," Edan snapped.

"Ah, quit your whining," Aaron said as he reached into the refrigerator. He tossed a pint to Edan, "Bottoms up, kid."

"Alright…." Edan said. He looked at it for a few moments before finally biting in. Nothing happened; he failed to break the plastic surface of the bag. "Um, did I do something wrong?"

"Uh…you kinda forgot to use your fangs."

"Oh, well how do I do that?"

"I don't know," Aaron shrugged, "You just kinda do."

"Well that was helpful."

"I don't recall ever having this much trouble drinking blood my first time," Aaron mused.

"Can you even remember that far back?"

"No, not really."

"Well there you have it, then. So what do we do now?"

Aaron sighed as he pulled out a pocket knife and nicked a corner of the bag, "Just try not to make a mess. That stuff stains."

The scent of blood flooded Edan's nasal passages, stronger than he ever remembered it being. The musky, metallic smell filled his head, fit to overflow at any second. He didn't want to admit it, but it was beginning to smell…good. He took a sip and a surge of energy rushed through his body as it hit his taste buds. His mouth watered as he began to drink in more and more. His eyesight seemed to flash and there what a hazy halo that formed at the edges of his vision. Everything seemed to have a silver lining now from where the light struck it, and it was almost blinding. The blood had a thick texture and a tangy yet bittersweet aftertaste. It ran smoothly down his throat and left a tingling sensation. He gulped it down, making a slurping noise as he tried to get to the last few drops.

"So, how was it?" Aaron asked.

Edan's eyesight returned to normal and he let out a refreshing breath, "Excellent."

"Well that stuff was just O positive. Wait till you try out the good stuff."

"So how much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it. First one's on the house. With all that money you saved, you can put it towards paying for a new incinerator."

Edan's jaw dropped,"Excuse me?"

"You didn't think I forgot, did you?" Aaron said as he crossed his arms.

"B-but I don't have the money for that!"

"Ah, I'm just pulling your leg. There's a couple of us vampires working in this joint, and we've all pooled together some money for emergencies like this."

"But won't that cost a bunch to repair it?"

"It's cool. One of the higher ups used to be in an aristocracy back in the day. He's built up quite a fortune. Just go and get yourself a new pair of shoes, eh? Those suckers look like they've seen the end of their days."

"Alright," Edan said, " but before I go, I think I'll buy a few more pints of O negative." He reached for his wallet and found that it wasn't there. "Where's my wallet? My phone?..."

"Your personal effects," Aaron interrupted as he held up a small box," are in here. I decided to drop by storage on the way over here to pick them up for you. We can't just burn you with them."

He handed the box over to Edan.

"Thanks."

"No prob. Now I suppose you want to see Kaily? I'll walk you down to the front lobby and get a taxi for you. Wish I could come with; I'd love to see the look on her face. 'Surprise! I'm not dead afterall!'"

"I'm sure it will pan out just like that. Hey, thanks for all this, Aaron. I couldn—"

"Ay, your ride is here. You can thank me later. Go see Kaily."

"Alright," Edan said as he shook Aaron's hand, "I'll see you later."

Edan waved goodbye as he walked outside. It was night time and crickets chirped as moths flittered around the dimly lit lampposts in the distant parking lot and the fluorescent lights flickered overhead. With his small cooler in hand, he jumped into the old, yellow taxi cab ready to make his way to Kaily's apartment.


	19. Minor Setback

_So far I have 24,000 words, nineteen chapters written, its been published at regular intervals for four months, and I have **TWO** reviews. I'm running in the dark here, guys, and it's not very encouraging...  
_

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Chapter 19  
Minor Setback

"So where're we headed today?" asked the taxi driver.

"Cybele Apartments on 24th."

The driver looked in his rearview mirror at Edan, "You alright, son? You look like you've been run over by a semi."

"Feel like it, too."

"Eh, we have our good days and we have our bad ones. At least your health insurance covered it for you, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess."

"Wish I could say the same for me," the driver muttered.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. The man. He screwed us blue collars over."

"Oh God…" Edan said as he buried his face in his hands. His head was starting to hurt.

"What? You don't believe me? What's the point of insurance covering your bill if you can't afford it in the first place?"

"Will you just take me where I want to go?"

"Oh, I'll take you. I'm not gonna leave a job done half-assed. I earn my pay, unlike you upper class snobs with your IKEA furniture and your 30 inch plasma screens….."

Edan let him drone on in the back of his mind, with his rants about government aid and private healthcare practices. His head was really starting to hurt now. There was a tingling, buzzing sensation in the back of his head and a tickle at the back of his throat which he couldn't seem to clear out. His mouth went dry and his vision began to tunnel in. The last time he had felt this way was back in high school at a track meet. He had been running for almost 5 kilometers when his knees gave way and he passed out. When he came to, his coach told him he had become dehydrated. He lifted his hand to eye level and observed the fine tremor and clammy skin. Yup, this was it alright.

"Hey!" the taxi driver yelled, snapping Edan back into the present, "You listening to me? I'm giving you a valuable lesson on life. It would do you some good to take some mental notes. Might even learn some compassion for the working man."

"Just shut up and drive," Edan muttered under his breath. He was feeling really irritable, very uncommon for him, but he had about all he could stand about the nation's health care policies.

"You say something?" the driver asked as he looked back at him chewing a piece of gum. Edan could see his temples pulsing as he chewed. He could picture the blood pulsing in the driver's veins, pumping through his body, and he was damn thirsty. He hunched over, sifting his fingers through his hair and wanting to tear it out. "I said shut the fuck up and drive!"

Spittle sprayed from Edan's mouth. This really wasn't him. The Edan he knew was timid and would have edged in a sarcastic compliment in an attempt to appease his temporary captor. His mind was racing

and his impulse to feed was getting more violent by the second. He had to get out before he did something reckless. He tried to fight back his primal urge and gripped the vinyl handle on the door, almost tearing it off at the seams.

"Let me out."

"What are you talking about? We're almost there. Just two more blocks. Look, I'll shut up, just sit tight for a few more seconds."

"No, I need to go now."

"Alright," the driver said as he pulled off to the side and braked, "It's not my place to tell you what to do. That'll be thirteen even."

Edan threw a handful of twenties at him and rushed out of the cab into the nearly blinding sunlight.

"Aye, you have a nice day now. Don't forget to call your local representative and tell him what you think about the nation's impending health crisis, alright? STICK IT TO THE MAN!" he yelled out the window as he drove off.

As he walked down the sidewalk, he averted his gaze to the sidewalk below him, watching his shifting shadow and avoiding looking into the blinding streetlamps. They were brighter than he remembered them being and his eyes throbbed just to look in their general direction. He had to focus just to remember where he was and even then it was a chore just to stand upright. His hand tremor got worse in his right hand while his left arm went completely numb. He was beginning to breathe a little harder and faster, and if his heart felt like tearing itself out of his chest. The lights made him feel nervous and he lost track of everything else just trying to avoid them. He just wanted to get to Kaily's apartment quickly before he lost it.

He looked up at the street signs to regain his bearings but the blind spots prevented him from reading them. He trudged forward and stumbled off the sidewalk attempting to cross the street when a passing car screeched to a halt and the driver hammered down the horn. The headlights flashed directly at him and Edan was frozen in place. The man honked his horn again then lost his patience, passing him in the other lane. Edan regained his faculties and fumbled his way to the other side of the street. He tripped on the curb and fell face down. He could barely feel the pavement; his face, arms, and legs were so numb. With great difficulty he propped himself back up, afraid that his arms might give out at any second and send him crashing to the pavement again. He crawled over to a wall and stood back up, using it to support him as he felt his way down the street. He gripped onto his cooler as tightly as he could, for fear of it slipping through his limp hands unnoticed.

He looked this way and that as the lights trailed luminescent tails behind them. He could feel the bricks scraping against his calloused fingertips as he dragged them along the buildings, bumping against every dip and protrusion along its surface. It seemed as if he had walked for hours when he decided to look up. He was standing in front of a familiar door but he didn't know what it meant. A door. He felt the sudden urge to go through so he pulled on the handle and walked into the dimly lit corridor inside. There were stairs, endless steps that reached up and up. He fell down to his knees and crawled up them on all fours. He had reached his limits. He was parched, tired, and numb. The carpeted steps felt so soft now; almost like pillows. The ridges of each step burrowed deep into his knotted muscles and it felt good. Just a little nap was all he needed; just a few minutes to rest his eyes. Nobody would mind, right? Without further resistance he curled up right then and there and fell asleep with the cooler digging into his side.

Half asleep he felt somebody approaching. He rolled over to one side of the staircase. "It's alright," he mumbled hysterically, "I'm fine. Just need some time to…to rest…for a bit." He thought he heard a muffled thump and stifled sobs. _Who is crying?_ he thought to himself. _I said I was alright_. He felt hands prop his head back up as the soft crying grew louder and a slap across his face…then again. Soft, silky hair fell upon his face, cool and soothing to the touch. Arms pulled him in closer to a warm body and he looked up to find a familiar face. Kaily. He was as good as home. Another pair of hands lifted him up and he felt as if he were floating. He let his arms dangle by his side as he carelessly drifted away and fell into a deep slumber.


	20. A Brand New Man

_Well, this will probably be the most risque I will ever get. Happy Valentine's Day? _

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Chapter 20  
A Brand New Man

Edan woke up to the smell of brewing coffee. A low rumble sounded from the kitchen as another wave of freshly ground beans wafted through the air. He opened his eyes to a dimly lit ceiling and found himself lying on a soft leather couch under some linen sheets. He was still holding onto his cooler; his knuckles were white and clammy. He tried to get up, but as he got up he fell to the ground with a thud. Stifled giggles emanated from the kitchen and out walked Kaily holding a tray with two cups and a pitcher of coffee. "Careful. Don't stand up so suddenly or the blood will rush to your head."

"Damn, my head is pounding. What happened?"

"You almost died…again."

Edan rolled onto his back and looked up at Kaily, "I have a habit of doing that. Was I much trouble?"

"We had to drug you and administer blood intravenously," Kaily said grimly.

"We? Where's Dominic?"  
"Out. As soon as we found you passed out on the stairs he went to run some errands. He'll be back in a few hours."

Kaily set down the tray on the coffee table and helped Edan back on his feet. She paused for a moment then gave him a big hug. As they stood there holding each other, she whispered in his ear, "God, I thought you were dead. I missed you so much." Edan could hear the tremor in her breathing as she tried to hold back tears.

"I missed you, too," he whispered back. Kaily sniffed then stood back, composing herself.

"Alright," she said as she handed him a cup of coffee, "Sit. We need to talk."

Edan fell back onto the leathered cushions and propped his head up on the arm of the couch, "Alright, what do you want to know first?"

"How did you get here?" Kaily asked as she sat at the other end of the couch.

"Taxi, naturally," he joked," A few blocks away from here I started to get the urge to attack the driver, so I got out and walked the rest of the way but the further I walked, the dizzier I got."

"That was dangerous. Smart but dangerous. You're newly turned and haven't fully recovered yet."

"Well, it's not like I knew," Edan said looking a little peeved, "You guys never told me anything."

"Sorry, it's still pretty uncomfortable for us to come out and share something that personal."

"I guess you've got a point there." Edan took the empty cooler sitting on his lap and placed it on the coffee table. "So where's my blood?"

"I stuck it in the fridge. When we found you, you were gripping onto that thing like your life depended on it, so I just opened it up and moved the blood to somewhere cooler."

Kaily curled her feet under her, "Dominic and I thought you were dead."

"I thought I was, too," he replied. Kaily stared at the floor, worry showing all over her face. Edan sighed and set his half empty mug back on the tray. He let out a grunt as he scooted over next to Kaily and, with difficulty, raised an arm and put it around her. With his other hand, he cleared away the strand of hair that fell across her face then turned her gaze back into his eyes.

"How about this…you forget that I ever died, alright? It's all over and I turned out okay, don't you think? I mean, it sure didn't do anything for my looks but…" As if what he just said had plucked at another of her heart strings, her eyes started to well up.

"Hey hey hey, don't do that," he chided softly," I didn't come all this way to see you cry. If you keep this up you're going to make me cry too and that's not going to be pretty, so for the sake of your appetite I suggest you show me that pretty smile of yours."

She let out a weak and tear-stained laugh, but a moment later she was back to crying again. Resigned, he rested his forehead against hers and watched as her tears fell, dripping onto the leather sofa. Each individual drop pattered as it hit the cushion and pooled together momentarily before soaking into the upholstery. "Kaily, what is it going to take to see you smile again?"

Kaily put her hands around the back of his neck and looked up. For a moment, Edan's mind raced back to that night outside of the Scarlet and Black. Once again they were looking into each others' eyes, tidally locked and bound to each other by invisible forces. Her eyes were still glassy as they continued to well up with tears, but it didn't dull the edge of her gaze as it bore right through him with flecks of sparkling sapphire, like heated daggers studded with lapis lazuli. He could feel condensation forming on his cheek from where her slightly parted lips exhaled only inches away from his, could smell the sweet and balmy scent of vanilla along her neck, could see her chest rise and fall as her breathing grew quicker in anticipation. She closed her eyes as he bent in to kiss her, clasping his fingers at the base of her neck. Her cold lips sent a chill down his spine, making him shudder. When he kissed her, it was as if she had sucked the breath right out of him, but he wouldn't dare stop for air. His heart beat harder and harder in his chest as the blood rushed through his veins. He could hear the low _lub-dub­ _as it labored to get enough oxygen to his brain.

His heart stopped and he felt a sense of looming vertigo. Almost as if she sensed this, Kaily gave him a slight shove and he was on his back, pulling the sheets after her. Her legs locked in his and she dragged her fingers across his chest as she nibbled his lower lip. All his senses were screaming _Feed me!_ gulping in the very scent of her perfume, the sound of desperate gasps for air, the ambrosial sensation of her lips against his.

……………

She curled up next to him on the couch, nearly falling off, and rested her head on his chest. Edan could feel the warmth of her cheeks pressed against his skin, the cool, silken hair cascading down his side like a stream of water as he ran his fingers through it, the gentle breeze that ran across his stomach as she exhaled. Her body rose, then fell as she took in breath after breath falling fast asleep. She clasped his hand and locked fingers with him, her dainty little fingers sifting through his and barely able to get a good hold.

"I didn't know you had a tattoo," Edan teased. He traced a finger down the vine of Asiatic lilies along her lower, right back.

"What, did you think I was a sweet little angel?"

"No, I was just…"

"Just what?"

"Just thatuhhh you're sweet'n…I love you an'.." Edan fumbled around for the right words to say, his eyes unfocusing.

"You're so cute when you mumble," Kaily laughed.

"What are you talking about?" he asked jokingly.

She kissed his stomach and he went into a blank stupor again.

"Are you tired?" she asked.

"Not really, why?"

Kaily shook her head. She wasn't going to dignify that with an answer. Instead, she pulled the sheets back overhead.

………………

…and then there was a knock at the door.


	21. The Proposal

_Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry it took so long to update, but as promised, I'm not gonna leave this story unfinished. Sorry, this isn't much to make up for my extended absence, but I implore you to keep an eye on the older chapters. Nothing is being changed storywise, just tightening up the script and plot a bit. In the meantime, enjoy the next chapter of _Sanguine_...And don't forget to leave some feedback._

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Chapter 21

The Proposal

Kaily's head popped out from under the sheets, looking at the door. "Oh no," she whispered, "It must be Dominic."

"Already?" Edan said, puzzled," Has it really been that long?"

"I wouldn't doubt it,"she smiled. She wrapped herself up in the sheets, grabbed his pants off the floor, and tossed it to him. "Hurry!" she silently urged him, "Go in my room and get dressed before he sees you!"

"Wait, let me get a sip of coffee first," he joked. She giggled quietly and rested a finger to his lips, "Shhh.."

There was a knock at the door again. "Hello?" came Dominic's muffled voice from the other side.

"Be right there," Kaily called back. Edan snuck into her bedroom and slipped on his jeans. As he did, he examined the room. Now that there wasn't somebody currently out to kill him, he could take his time. By the looks of it, one could have never told that only a few nights ago somebody had almost been shot to death in that very same room. The carpet was spotless, the walls were unmarred, and the furniture didn't have a scratch on it. The cloudy sky outside cast a dim, blue light on the off-white carpet and walls, mixing with the dull orange glow coming from the lamp on her dresser. The chest at the foot of her bed and the drawers against the far wall were made of white oak veneer. A matching wardrobe cabinet lied along the same wall as the head of the bed. For the most part her bed was made, with the exception of the corner of her dark gray quilt folded down from where she got out of bed that morning. Sprawled across it were some orange, gray, and white pillows.

Edan heard the front door open as he was buttoning up his shirt. He took a quick look in the mirror and tried to unruffle his hair a little bit before he walked back out into the living room. He let out a rather believable yawn and said, "Good morning."

"Well you look rather relaxed for somebody who just recovered from a severe seizure," Dominic said, oblivious.

"Was I really?" he said, looking confused and scratching his head." Man, what happened?"

"Kaily and I were coming back from doing laundry and found you hallucinating on the stairs. How are you still alive?"

"Good question. I don't know. I've learned just to take it for what it is and leave it at that. I'm not one to question good fortune."

"Fair enough," Dominic shrugged. He tossed Edan a small paper bag with a prescription label sticker.

"What's this for?" Edan asked.

"You'll see."

Edan opened it up and found a box of eye contacts. "I'm still wondering…"

"Those are specialized eye contacts with built in UV protection; it helps preven—"

"Oh yeah, I've heard of these! Kaily was telling me about them a few days ago. They work by reflecting most of the sun's rays, right?"

"Yeah, but what she probably forgot to tell you was that it only works so well under certain conditions. It doesn't make you invincible. You're still going to want to wear sunglasses for good measure, and at all costs avoid looking into the sun directly."

"That IS a good bit of information," he replied sarcastically," Thanks."  
"It's what I'm here for." He walked over to Edan and handed him a business card, sticking his thumb under the name, "Speaking of contacts, you'll be seeing a new optometrist."

"How about doctors and dentists?" Edan joked.

"Those too," Dominic said, not catching on. "We'll find you some later. In the meantime, there needs to be a few changes to your diet. You need to cut down drastically in polyunsaturated fats and start taking C,D, and E supplements. Foods and drinks high in antioxidants wouldn't hurt either…."

As Dominic started listing off nutrition fact after nutrition fact Edan started to stare off into space, thoroughly confused. Kaily snuck up behind him and whispered into his ear, "Poor thing. How about you leave the worrying to me and let me cook you some food?"

Edan muttered back over his shoulder, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Well," Dominic said as he made his way back to the front door, "I need to get back to work. Get some R&R, Edan. When you're all rested, give me a visit. I need to talk to you." He closed the door behind him.

Edan swung back around to Kaily, whispering so that Dominic couldn't hear as he made his way back to his room, "How did you get dressed so quickly?! I had barely slipped on my pants by the time you answered the door."

"I'm a girl."

"No secret vampire power or anything?"

"Uh…no?"

"Hmph," Edan said as he crossed his arms, trying to think how it was at all humanly possible.

Kaily smiled and kissed him, sitting him back down on the couch, "Dominic was right. You need to get some sleep. You can stay here for the night."

"Thanks. I won't try to be too much trouble."

"Don't worry, dear. You're not."

--

Later that night Kaily cooked dinner for two as promised. Steam rose from the stove as Kaily stirred a thick tomato sauce, wafting into the dining area where Edan was setting the table.

"Mmm, that smells good. Are you sure there isn't anything I can help with?" Edan asked. He had offered to help cooking earlier, but Kaily wouldn't let him in the kitchen.

"Well," she said, walking out with a steaming bowl of noodles, "If you'll grab the sauce, we'll have this spaghetti ready in just a few moments."

He grabbed two pot holders and cradled the bowl of sauce to the center of the dining table. It was looking especially delicious since she had made it from scratch. Something Dominic had taught her, being from Italy and all.

"And…" she added, pulling something out of the oven, "…garlic bread."

"Ha ha, funny."

"Oh c'mon. It's not like it'll hurt you. It's a myth."

"I'll believe you when I see you eat the first slice." He seated Kaily then made his way to the other end of the table.

As Edan was pouring meat sauce onto his spaghetti, he asked Kaily," So now that we're vampires, why do we still eat normal food?"

"For the nutrition, silly. If your diet consisted strictly of blood, then you'd end up looking like those gray, spindly-looking things you see in horror movies."

"Oh? And who says that's a bad thing, huh?"

"Well go ahead, then, but don't expect me to kiss you."

"Ouch," Edan said playfully as he held his hand to his heart, "That hurt. I never expected you to be so shallow."

"Are you going to eat your food, or what?" she replied, pointing her fork at him admonishingly.

--

Edan knocked on Dominic's door after dinner.

"Open," a deep bass voice called from the other side. Edan walked in and saw Dominic standing in front of the book case. Dominic ran his finger across the top shelf and stopped at _The Brothers Grimm_.He pulled it out and opened it up to reveal a flask of bourbon.

"Have a seat," he said. Edan walked over to the couch and took a seat in front of the coffee table. Dominic poured a shot of whiskey for each of them and set one in front of Edan.

"What was it that you needed to talk with me about? Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No…" Dominic chuckled, "Well, not right now at least. What I called you over here for is this: I need your help."

Edan sat up a bit, "Help with what?"

"Well, before I tell you I need you to know that this favor I'm asking from you is very dangerous, even for a vampire. I'd understand completely if you want to back out now?"

Edan laughed, "Back out? Dom, you haven't even told me what it is yet. Besides, how many times have I died now? I've seen my fair share of danger."

"That's not all, Edan," Dominic added, "I also need your word that Kaily never gets word of this. I don't want her to get involved. I'm asking you this favor for her safety."

"Well then there's nothing more to say. I'm in." He downed his shot of bourbon and leaned forward, his attention directed at Dominic. "So what do I need to do?"


End file.
